en passant

adverb

en pas·​sant ˌäⁿ-ˌpä-ˈsäⁿ How to pronounce en passant (audio)
-pə-
1
: in passing
2
used in chess of the capture of a pawn as it makes a first move of two squares by an enemy pawn that threatens the first of these squares

Examples of en passant in a Sentence

she mentioned en passant that she'd been to New York
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Burns book gives us, en passant, vivid mini-portraits of Milton’s colleagues at the University of Chicago. Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 27 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of en passant was in 1665

Dictionary Entries Near en passant

Cite this Entry

“En passant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/en%20passant. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

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