passive

English Online Dictionary. What means passive‎? What does passive mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English passyf, passyve, from Middle French, 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”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- (“to hurt”); compare patient.

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

passive (comparative more passive, superlative most passive)

1. Being subjected to an action without producing a reaction.
2. Taking no action.

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.

7. (electronics) Of a component: that consumes but does not produce energy, or is incapable of power gain.
8. (passive provision) Where allowance is made for a possible future event.

   Antonym: active

Synonyms

• inactive
• idle
• disinterested
• uninvolved

Antonyms

• active
• aggressive

Derived terms

Related terms

• passion
• passionate
• patience
• patient

Translations

Noun

passive (plural passives)

1. (grammar) The passive voice of verbs.
2. (grammar) A form of a verb that is in the passive voice.
3. (marketing) A customer who is satisfied with a product or service, but not keen enough to promote it by word of mouth.
4. (electronics) Any component that consumes but does not produce energy, or is incapable of power gain.
5. (gaming) Short for passive attack.
6. A thing whose worth decreases with time.

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

• “passive”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “passive”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

Anagrams

• pavises

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pa.siv/

Adjective

passive

1. feminine singular of passif

Verb

passive

1. inflection of passiver:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

passive

1. inflection of passiv:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pasˈsi.ve/
• Rhymes: -ive
• Hyphenation: pas‧sì‧ve

Adjective

passive

1. feminine plural of passivo

Anagrams

• spesavi

Latin

Etymology

From passīvus +‎ -ē, ultimately from patior.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /pasˈsiː.u̯eː/, [päs̠ˈs̠iːu̯eː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /pasˈsi.ve/, [päsˈsiːve]

Adverb

passīvē (not comparable)

1. randomly
2. disorderly

Middle English

Adjective

passive

1. Alternative form of passyf

Noun

passive

1. Alternative form of passyf