Passive: meaning, definitions and examples
๐
passive
[ หpรฆsษชv ]
voice
Accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance.
Synonyms
compliant, docile, submissive, unresistant
Examples of usage
- He was known for his passive acceptance of whatever life threw at him.
- She took a passive approach to the situation, choosing not to get involved.
- I prefer a more passive role in group activities, letting others take the lead.
- Being passive in the face of injustice only perpetuates the problem.
- The passive attitude of the government towards the issue was criticized by many.
grammar
A verb form that is used to indicate that the subject of a sentence is the recipient of the action rather than the performer.
Synonyms
passive voice
Examples of usage
- In the sentence 'The book was read by the teacher,' 'was read' is the passive form.
- The passive voice is often used in scientific writing.
Translations
Translations of the word "passive" in other languages:
๐ต๐น passivo
๐ฎ๐ณ เคจเคฟเคทเฅเคเฅเคฐเคฟเคฏ (nishkriya)
๐ฉ๐ช passiv
๐ฎ๐ฉ pasif
๐บ๐ฆ ะฟะฐัะธะฒะฝะธะน
๐ต๐ฑ pasywny
๐ฏ๐ต ๅๅ็ (ใใ ใฉใใฆใ, judลteki)
๐ซ๐ท passif
๐ช๐ธ pasivo
๐น๐ท pasif
๐ฐ๐ท ์๋์ ์ธ (sudongjeog-in)
๐ธ๐ฆ ุณูุจู (salbi)
๐จ๐ฟ pasivnรญ
๐ธ๐ฐ pasรญvny
๐จ๐ณ ่ขซๅจ็ (bรจi dรฒng de)
๐ธ๐ฎ pasiven
๐ฎ๐ธ รณvirkur
๐ฐ๐ฟ ะฟะฐััะธะฒัั
๐ฌ๐ช แแแกแแฃแ แ (pasiuri)
๐ฆ๐ฟ passiv
๐ฒ๐ฝ pasivo
Word origin
The word 'passive' originated from the Latin word 'passivus', which means 'capable of feeling or suffering'. The term evolved over time to refer to the state of being acted upon rather than taking action. In English, 'passive' first appeared in the 15th century with the meaning of 'suffering, undergoing, acted upon'. It later expanded to include the modern usage of lacking active response or resistance. The concept of passive voice in grammar dates back to ancient Greek and Latin rhetoric, where it was recognized as a stylistic choice for emphasizing the object or recipient of an action.
See also: bypass, impassable, impasse, overpass, passable, passably, passage, passcode, passรฉ, passenger, passer, passing, passingly, passion, passionately, passkey, underpass, unpassability, unpassable.