passenger

UK: /ˈpæsɪndʒə^r/ US: /ˈpæsəndʒɚ/ ,(pas′ən jər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pas•sen•ger /ˈpæsəndʒɚ/   n. [countable]

1. a person traveling in an automobile, train, etc., esp. one who is not the operator:
   One passenger refused to show his ticket, so the whole train was stopped.

See -pass-¹.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pas•sen•ger  (pas′ən jər), n. 

1. a person who is traveling in an automobile, bus, train, airplane, or other conveyance, esp. one who is not the driver, pilot, or the like.
2. a wayfarer;
   traveler.

• Middle French, noun, nominal use of passag(i)er (adjective, adjectival) passing, temporary; see passage, -ier²; for -n- compare messenger, harbinger, scavenger, popinjay
• Middle English passager 1300–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

passenger / ˈpæsɪndʒə/ noun

1. a person travelling in a car, train, boat, etc, not driven by him or her
2. (as modifier): a passenger seat
3. a member of a group or team who is a burden on the others through not participating fully in the work

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French passager passing, from passage¹