Meanings
- not comparableUsed in citations to indicate that something, as a word, phrase, or idea, is to be found at many places throughout the work cited; here and there, throughout.
See also Hearings on H.R.8825 before the House Committee on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 70th Cong., 1st Sess., passim (1928).
1978, Supreme Court of the United States, F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation1 more example
The sceptics assert [Sext. Emp. adversus Math. lib. viii.], though absurdly, that the origin of all religious worship was derived from the utility of inanimate objects, as the sun and moon, to the support and well-being of mankind. This is also the common reason assigned by historians, for the deification of eminent heroes and legislators [Diod. Sic. passim.].
1751, David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals
- not comparablerareThat occurs at various places throughout a text.
In these passim allusions one often ‘nods’.
1895, J. Marshall, Westminster Gazette, 4, September 2/3
Synonyms & antonyms
adverbused to refer to cited works
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinpandō
- Latinpassim
- Englishpassim
Unadapted borrowing from Latin passim (“everywhere, here and there”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian навсякъде, тук-там
- навсякъде (navsjakăde)throughout; frequently
- тук-там (tuk-tam)here and there
Dutch passim, passim
- passimthroughout; frequently
- passimhere and there
French passim
- passimhere and there
German passim
- passimhere and there
Greek σποράδην
- σποράδην (sporádin)here and there
Japanese あっちこっち
- あっちこっち (atchi kotchi)here and there
Latin passim
- passimhere and there
Cite this entry
passim. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/passim
“passim.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/passim. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “passim,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/passim.
Source: passim on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.