# passage

/ˈpæsədʒ/ (US) · /pˈæsɪdʒ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/passage
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a corridor or path

noun · CEFR B1

a long, narrow space that connects one place to another, like a hallway in a building.

For teachers: a narrow path, corridor, or hallway providing a means of transit between two locations.

- The dark passage led from the kitchen to the back garden.
- A secret passage was discovered behind the library's bookshelves, leading directly to the basement of the adjacent manor.

### 2. section of text or music

noun · CEFR B2

a short part of a book, speech, or piece of music.

For teachers: a specific excerpt or segment of a literary work, speech, or musical composition.

- The teacher asked us to read a short passage from the novel.
- The pianist performed a particularly difficult passage with such grace that the audience remained silent for several seconds after he finished.

### 3. movement or transition

noun · CEFR B2

the act of moving from one place to another, or the way time goes by.

For teachers: the process of moving through or across something, or the transition from one state or time to another.

- The passage of time has changed the way the city looks.
- The safe passage of the refugees across the border was the primary concern of the international aid agencies.

### 4. legislative approval

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the process of a new law being officially accepted by a government.

For teachers: the official approval or enactment of a bill or resolution by a legislative body.

- The passage of the new environmental law took several months of debate.
- The sudden passage of the emergency bill surprised many political analysts who had predicted a lengthy stalemate in the senate.

### 5. a sea route

noun · CEFR B2

a narrow way through the sea or between islands.

For teachers: a navigable channel or strait, often used in the context of maritime travel.

- The ship took the northern passage to avoid the heavy storms.
- Explorers spent centuries searching for a Northwest Passage that would link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic.

### 6. anatomical tube

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a tube-like part in the body that air or liquid flows through.

For teachers: a duct or canal in the body through which fluids, air, or other substances travel.

- The doctor checked his nasal passages to see why he couldn't breathe well.
- Inflammation of the bronchial passages can lead to significant respiratory distress if not treated promptly with steroids.

### 7. to move a pathogen

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to move a germ or cell from one environment to another in a lab.

For teachers: to transfer a pathogen or cell culture through a series of hosts or growth media.

- Scientists had to passage the virus several times to study how it changed.
- The researchers decided to passage the strain through avian hosts to observe potential mutations in the protein structure.

## Examples

- The secret passage leads to the garden.
- The students were asked to read a short passage from the novel and answer three questions.
- The architect designed a glass-walled passage that connects the original Victorian wing to the modern gallery, allowing natural light to illuminate the transition between eras.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.