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passé

Etymology and origin of the French word passé

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1524, Pierre Gringore
Inherited from
Latin *passo

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /pa.se/[1]
  • IPA: /pɑ.se/[1]

Forms

passé m (plural passés)[1]

Etymology

It is the past participle of passer used as a noun,[2][3][4][5] the participle having been an adjective since the late 11th century (“Chanson de Guillaume”).[6] The verb is inherited from Vulgar Latin *passāre (“to step, pass”).[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Gringore's Blason des hérétiques (1524) has le passé for time gone by and the events that filled it;[2][3] par le passé “formerly” dates from 1537.[3]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective passé qualified time gone by (le temps passé, 1440) and things that have lost their character, such as a faded colour (Robert Estienne, 1549: une étoffe passée).[6][3] The noun came to mean what someone has done before (Pascal, 1656), whence avoir un passé “to have a (dubious) past”, and in 1530–1580 a dead person.[2][3] Meigret's grammar (1550) has passé indéterminé and passé perfect, later passé simple and passé composé.[2][3]

In embroidery broder au passé (1826) is to work in satin stitch.[2] The 20th century formed passéiste (1913) and passéisme (1926).[3] In Quebec passé date means “out of date” (of food).[3]

Timeline

  • Late 11th century – The adjective passé.[6]
  • 1524 – Le passé in Gringore.[2]
  • 1537 – Par le passé.[3]
  • 1549 – Faded (of colours).[6]
  • 1550 – A grammatical term, in Meigret.[2]
  • 1656 – One's past, in Pascal.[2]
  • 1826 – Broder au passé.[2]
  • 1913 – Passéiste.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The past: oublier le passé, par le passé: in the past.[1][8]
  2. A person's past, history: un passé chargé.[8][3]
  3. (grammar) The past tense: passé simple, passé composé.[1][2]
  4. (embroidery) Satin stitch.[2]

Adjective

  1. Past, gone by: le temps passé, la semaine passée: last week.[1][6]
  2. Faded: une étoffe passée.[3][6]
  3. After (a time): il est midi passé.[3][6]

Word family

  • passéiste
  • passéisme
  • passer
  • pas
  • English passé

Usage notes

Passé is also a preposition, “after, beyond”: passé cette date, passé la ferme (12th century with agreement; invariable from the 15th).[4][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 8, 14b
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  8. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  9. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Passé.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/pass%C3%A9. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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