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passus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word passus

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Naevius
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*peth₂-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈpas.sʊs], [ˈpas.suːs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpas.sus], [ˈpas.sus][1]

Forms

passus m (genitive passūs); fourth declension[1]

Etymology

It is from the stem of pandō “to spread, stretch out”, with the suffix -tus, from Proto-Italic *pat-s-tus, Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- (“to spread”): a step as a stretching of the legs.[2][1][3] Cognate with English fathom.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Naevius.[4] The OLD's first citations are from Plautus.[2] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a step, pace, stride, as Ennius' quick step across the plains and Virgil's Ascanius following his father with unequal steps; the plural also meant footprints.[2][5] As a measure it was a double pace of five feet, and mīlle passūs was a Roman mile, about 1.45 km.[2] Döderlein contrasts passus, a step measured by the distance between the feet, with gressus, a step being taken.[6]

In Medieval Latin it meant a mountain pass and a passage in a text.[7] It survives in Italian passo, French pas, Spanish paso and Romanian pas, and the DÉRom reconstructs Proto-Romance */ˈpass-u/.[1][8] Through Old French pas it is the source of English pace in the late 13th century, and through Vulgar Latin *passare of English pass.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.[4]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of a quick step.[5][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses mīlle passuum.[2][4]
  • late 13th century – English pace is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A step, pace, stride, (plural) footprints.[2]
  2. A double pace (five Roman feet), mīlle passūs, a Roman mile.[2]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A mountain pass; a passage of a text.[7]

Usage notes

Passus is also the perfect participle of pandō “spread out” (used of dried fruit, as ūva passa “raisin”) and of patior “to suffer”.[2][5]

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ Buchi, Éva; Schweickard, Wolfgang, eds. (2008–), Dictionnaire Étymologique Roman (DÉRom), Nancy: ATILF, http://www.atilf.fr/DERom
Cite this entry

“Passus.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/passus. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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