passport

noun

pass·​port ˈpas-ˌpȯrt 

plural passports

1

a

: a formal document issued by an authorized official of a country to one of its citizens that is usually necessary for exit from and reentry into the country, that allows the citizen to travel in a foreign country in accordance with visa requirements, and that requests protection for the citizen while abroad

b

: a license issued by a country permitting a foreign citizen to pass or take goods through its territory : safe-conduct

c

: a document of identification required by law to be carried by persons residing or traveling within a country

2

a

: a permission or authorization to go somewhere

b

: something that secures admission, acceptance, or attainment

education as a passport to success

see also vaccine passport

Synonyms

• gateway
• key
• open sesame
• secret
• ticket

Examples of passport in a Sentence

meeting that movie director could be your passport to a big acting career

to its followers, the cult seemed like their passport to heaven

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, political division is fueling the business for second passports. —Chloe Berger, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024

But something that stands out as odd to Justine about that story is that her mother’s passport was actually expired at the time. —Veronica Fulton, NBC News, 3 Nov. 2024

Store a phone or passport in the double welt pocket on either side, and stash keys in the zip closure on the right pocket. —Jakob Schiller, Outside Online, 1 Nov. 2024

This sparks panic among young people, many of whom swarm passport offices and embassies in effort to leave the country, while others opt to join the resistance and take up arms against the junta. —Koh Ewe, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English (Scots) pasport, from Middle French passeport, from passer to pass + port port, from Latin portus — more at ford

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing passport

• vaccine passport

Kids Definition

passport

noun

pass·​port ˈpas-ˌpō(ə)rt 

-ˌpȯ(ə)rt

1

: a government-issued document that serves to identify a citizen and allows him or her to travel to foreign countries

2

: something that allows a person to reach a desired goal

education can be a passport to a successful future