passage

Passage is a noun with several related, but distinct, senses linked to movement, routes, and textual excerpts. In a broad sense, it denotes the act of moving from one place to another, or the process of moving through or into something. It can also refer to the interval of time during which something continues or unfolds, as in the passage of time.

In architecture and geography, a passage is a physical route or corridor. Within a building, a passage (or passageway) connects rooms or areas; outdoors, it may describe a covered walkway or a navigable route such as a sea passage or mountain passage. The term also appears in discussions of travel and transport to indicate a journey by ship, aircraft, or other conveyance, as in “the ship’s passage” or “air passage.”

In literature and music, a passage refers to a short section or excerpt of a larger work. A written passage is a portion of text chosen for reading or analysis, while a musical passage is a sequence of notes or a distinctive melodic or harmonic segment within a composition.

In governance and law, the phrase “the passage of a bill” denotes its approval by a legislative body and its enactment into law. This usage highlights the procedural dimension of passage as the process by which proposals become official policy or statute.

Etymology traces passage to Old French and Latin roots related to passing or stepping, reflecting the core idea of movement through space, time, or a text. Related terms include passageway, passagebook, and excerpt, all underscoring the connective or transitional sense at the heart of the word.