Definitions for passive
ˈpæs ɪvpas·sive

Princeton's WordNet(3.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. passive voice, passive(adj)

   the voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is the recipient (not the source) of the action denoted by the verb

   "`The ball was thrown by the boy' uses the passive voice"; "`The ball was thrown' is an abbreviated passive"

2. passive, inactive(adj)

   lacking in energy or will

   "Much benevolence of the passive order may be traced to a disinclination to inflict pain upon oneself"- George Meredith

3. passive, peaceful(adj)

   peacefully resistant in response to injustice

   "passive resistance"

4. passive(adj)

   expressing that the subject of the sentence is the patient of the action denoted by the verb

   "academics seem to favor passive sentences"

Wiktionary(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. passive(Noun)

   The passive voice of verbs.

   Etymology: From passif, from passivus, from pati, past participle of passus; compare patient.

2. passive(Noun)

   A form of a verb that is in the passive voice.

   Etymology: From passif, from passivus, from pati, past participle of passus; compare patient.

3. passive(Adjective)

   Being subjected to an action without producing a reaction.

   Etymology: From passif, from passivus, from pati, past participle of passus; compare patient.

4. passive(Adjective)

   Taking no action.

   He remained passive during the protest.

   Etymology: From passif, from passivus, from pati, past participle of passus; compare patient.

5. passive(Adjective)

   Being in the passive voice.

   Etymology: From passif, from passivus, from pati, past participle of passus; compare patient.

6. passive(Adjective)

   Being inactive and submissive in a relationship, especially in a sexual one.

   Etymology: From passif, from passivus, from pati, past participle of passus; compare patient.

7. passive(Adjective)

   Not participating in management.

   Etymology: From passif, from passivus, from pati, past participle of passus; compare patient.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Passive(adj)

   not active, but acted upon; suffering or receiving impressions or influences; as, they were passive spectators, not actors in the scene

2. Passive(adj)

   receiving or enduring without either active sympathy or active resistance; without emotion or excitement; patient; not opposing; unresisting; as, passive obedience; passive submission

3. Passive(adj)

   inactive; inert; not showing strong affinity; as, red phosphorus is comparatively passive

4. Passive(adj)

   designating certain morbid conditions, as hemorrhage or dropsy, characterized by relaxation of the vessels and tissues, with deficient vitality and lack of reaction in the affected tissues

Freebase(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Passive

   "Passive" is a song from the band A Perfect Circle's 2004 album eMOTIVe The song is a remake of the song "Vacant" by the now-defunct band Tapeworm. "Vacant" was notably first performed by A Perfect Circle without Trent Reznor's agreement.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Passive

   pas′iv, adj. suffering, unresisting: not acting: (gram.) expressing the suffering of an action by the subject of the verb.—adv. Pass′ively.—ns. Pass′iveness, Passiv′ity, inactivity: patience: tendency of a body to preserve a given state, either of motion or of rest. [Fr.,—L. passivus—pati, suffer.]

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. passive

   In surveillance, an adjective applied to actions or equipments which emit no energy capable of being detected.

British National Corpus

1. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'passive' in Adjectives Frequency: #812

How to pronounce passive?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say passive in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of passive in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of passive in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of passive in a Sentence

1. Mao Zedong:

   Passivity is fatal to us. Our goal is to make the enemy passive.

2. Woody Allen:

   I call that mind free which jealously guards its intellectual rights and powers, which calls no man master, which does not content itself with a passive or hereditary faith, and receives new truth as an angel from Heaven.

3. Kazuo Hasegawa:

   Given how many people die from passive smoking each year, the law should be trying to help them, but the law, as it stands now, doesn't seem as if it will.

4. Ben Sheats:

   Part of the foundation of this company is that entertainment can be so much more than just a passive experience, we have these very fancy devices in our pockets that we use every day and just using them as a display screen seems wasteful.

5. Ken Nuttall:

   Passive investing in bonds does not work as well as it does in stocks.

Images & Illustrations of passive

Popularity rank by frequency of use