trépasser

Trépasser is a French verb meaning to die or to pass away. It is primarily found in literary, religious, or formal contexts and is not common in everyday spoken French, where mourir, décéder, or disparaître are more typical. The term is intransitive and usually describes the moment or process of death for a person, though it can be used metaphorically to indicate the end of something (an era, a project, etc.).

Etymology traces trépasser to Old French, where the noun trépas signified death. It is connected to the idea of passing beyond life and is etymologically related to Latin transpassare, formed from trans- “across” and passer “to pass.” This lineage reflects the semantic shift from a physical crossing to the crossing from life to death.

Usage and nuance: trépasser carries a solemn, sometimes archaic tone and is more likely to appear in historical narratives, poetry, religious writings, or ceremonial language. In contemporary prose, speakers and writers often prefer more direct terms such as mourir or décéder, reserving trépasser for effect or period flavor.

Related forms include trépas, the noun for death; and trépassé, meaning the deceased or the deceased person, used in formal or ceremonial contexts. The word remains a marker of traditional or elevated diction and is rarely used in casual modern usage, where other verbs and expressions more common in everyday speech prevail.