passive

See also: Passive and passivé

English

Etymology

From Middle French, Old French passif, from Latin passivus (“serving to express the suffering of an action; in late Latin literally capable of suffering or feeling”), from passus, past participle of pati (“to suffer”); compare patient.

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) enPR: păsʹ-ĭv, IPA(key): /ˈpæs.ɪv/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -æsɪv
  • Hyphenation: pas‧sive

Adjective

passive (comparative more passive, superlative most passive)

Examples (being in the passive voice)

The passive form of “A meteorite hit the earth” is “The earth was hit by a meteorite.”

  1. Being subjected to an action without producing a reaction.
  2. Taking no action.
    He remained passive during the protest.
  3. (grammar) Being in the passive voice.
  4. (psychology) Being inactive and submissive in a relationship, especially in a sexual one.
  5. (finance) Not participating in management.
  6. (aviation) Without motive power.
    a passive balloon; a passive aeroplane; passive flight, such as gliding and soaring

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Noun

passive (plural passives)

  1. (uncountable, grammar) The passive voice of verbs.
  2. (countable, grammar) A form of a verb that is in the passive voice.

Translations

Further reading

  • passive in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • passive in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Anagrams

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pa.siv/

Adjective

passive

  1. feminine singular of passif

Verb

passive

  1. first-person singular present indicative of passiver
  2. third-person singular present indicative of passiver
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of passiver
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of passiver
  5. second-person singular imperative of passiver

German

Adjective

passive

  1. inflected form of passiv

Italian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pas.ˈsi.ve/, [pas.siː.ve]
  • Hyphenation: pas‧sì‧ve

Adjective

passive f pl

  1. feminine plural of passivo

Anagrams

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