passive vocabulary

noun

: the words one understands as distinguished from the words one actively uses
Our passive vocabulary is larger than our active vocabulary (the words we use ourselves).

Dictionary Entries Near passive vocabulary

Cite this Entry

“Passive vocabulary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passive%20vocabulary. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!