Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

passing

/ˈpɑːsɪŋ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.63 in modern English

Syllables: pass-ing
IPA: /ˈpɑːsɪŋ/

10

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

present participle and gerund of pass

adj

That passes away; ephemeral.

adj

Pre-eminent, excellent, extreme.

Archaic; Literary

adj

Vague, cursory.

adj

adj

That passes in any sense.

adv

Surpassingly, greatly.

Archaic; Literary

noun

Death, dying; the end of something.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"And solace sought he none from priest nor leech, / And soon the same in movement and in speech / As heretofore he fill'd the passing hours […]"
"[…]this is just a passing thing But I believe in your sweet loving, loving, babe With every summer falling rain"
"It might be possible to dismiss #dittowatch as just another passing internet fancy. After all, hashtags are ephemeral."
"her passing deformity"
"It was by dint of passing strength, / That he moved the massy stone at length."
"That parliament was destined, in one short hour of convulsive strength, in one short hour of passing glory, to humble the pride and alarm the fears of England."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *peth₂-der. Proto-Italic *pattus Latin passus Proto-Italic *-āzi ▲ Latin -ereinflu. Latin -āre Vulgar Latin *passāre Old French passerbor. Middle English passen English pass English -ing English passing From pass + -ing.

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /ˈpɑːsɪŋ/

Usage

Inflected Forms

more passing (comparative) most passing (superlative) passings (plural)

Derived Forms

passingly passingness

Phrases

non-passing passing game passing of time with the passing of time Korea Passing passing lane passing pocket buck-passing

Frequently Paired Words

buck-passing continuation passing style continuation-passing style in passing passing bell passing-bell passing grade passing loop

Synonyms

brief fleeting transient earthly ephemeral deciduous evanescent flying fugacious fugitive instant momentary

Rhymes With

harassing surpassing amassing massing gassing classing kassing

Questions

How do you pronounce passing?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈpɑːsɪŋ/.
What does passing mean?: present participle and gerund of pass
Where does passing come from?: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *peth₂-der. Proto-Italic *pattus Latin passus Proto-Italic *-āzi ▲ Latin -ereinflu. Latin -āre Vulgar Latin *passāre Old French passerbor. Middle English passen English pass English -ing English passing From pass + -ing.

How to pronounce passing

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