passenger
PAS-ihn-juh
Passenger (noun) means a person travelling in a vehicle who is not driving or working as crew. Example: “The bus can carry up to fifty passengers.”
noun
1
A person travelling in a vehicle who is not driving or working as crew.
"The bus can carry up to fifty passengers."
"She sat in the passenger seat and navigated."
"Every passenger must show a ticket before boarding the train."
2
A team member who fails to contribute their fair share of effort.
"The manager complained that two players were just passengers this season."
"We can't win with a passenger in the group who never helps."
"Nobody likes being the passenger while the rest of the team does the work."
How to use passenger
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone riding along rather than driving or steering — literally in a vehicle, or figuratively in a team.
Common pairings
passenger seat
passenger train
become a passenger
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Word forms
- Plural
- passengers
- Third person singular
- passengers
- Past tense
- passengered
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The bus can carry up to fifty _____.
Etymology
From Old French passagier, with an extra "n" that crept in the way it did in "messenger."
Related words
Rhymes for passenger
See all rhymes for passenger →Frequently asked questions
What does “passenger” mean?
The word “passenger” means a person travelling in a vehicle who is not driving or working as crew. In plain terms, someone riding along rather than driving or steering — literally in a vehicle, or figuratively in a team.
How do you pronounce “passenger”?
“Passenger” is pronounced PAS-ihn-juh (/ˈpæs.ɪn.d͡ʒɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “passenger” in a sentence?
Here is “passenger” used in a sentence: “The bus can carry up to fifty passengers.”
What part of speech is “passenger”?
“Passenger” is a noun.
Where does the word “passenger” come from?
The word “passenger” comes from Old French. From Old French passagier, with an extra "n" that crept in the way it did in "messenger.".
Is “passenger” a common word?
“Passenger” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “passenger” have?
“Passenger” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person travelling in a vehicle who is not driving or working as crew.
Is the driver of a car a passenger?
No. A passenger is a person travelling in a vehicle who is not driving it or working as crew. The driver, and on larger vehicles the crew, are counted separately from the passengers.
What is the difference between a passenger and a commuter?
A passenger is anyone riding in a vehicle without driving or crewing it, on any kind of trip. A commuter is someone who travels regularly between home and work. A commuter on a train is a passenger, but a passenger on a holiday flight is not necessarily a commuter.
What is the difference between a passenger and a traveller?
A traveller is anyone making a journey, however they get there. A passenger is specifically someone riding in a vehicle they are not driving or crewing. A person hiking across a country is a traveller but not a passenger; the same person on a coach is both.
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