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passion

/ˈpæʃən/ [ˈpʰæʃən] ~ [ˈpʰæʃn̩] syllables: pas·sion
  • noun
  • verb
  • from Old French

A true desire sustained or prolonged.

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1 All current definitions

Every sense of “passion” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.

noun

  1. countableuncountableA true desire sustained or prolonged.

    An oil lamp burned upon a high, old-fashioned mantel, casting its dim rays over a dozen repulsive figures. All but one were men. The other was a woman of about thirty. Her face, marked by low passions and dissipation, might once have been lovely.1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 27:

  2. countableuncountableAny great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or extreme hate.

    We share a passion for books.

  3. countableuncountableFervor, determination.

    I spoke with a burning passion.

  4. countableuncountableAn object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.

    It started as a hobby, but now my motorbike collection has become my passion.

  5. countableuncountableSexual intercourse, especially when very emotional.

    We shared a night of passion.

  6. capitalizedcountableuncountableusuallyThe suffering of Jesus leading up to and during his crucifixion.
  7. countableuncountableA display, musical composition, or play meant to commemorate the suffering of Jesus.
Older & obsolete senses (5)
  1. countableobsoleteuncountableSuffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress.
  2. countableobsoleteuncountableThe state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition
  3. countableobsoleteuncountableThe capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.
  4. countableobsoleteuncountableAn innate attribute, property, or quality of a thing.
  5. countableobsoleteuncountableDisorder of the mind; madness.
Wiktionary: “passion” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

verb

  1. transitiveTo give a passionate character to.
Older & obsolete senses (1)
  1. obsoleteTo suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated.
Wiktionary: “passion” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Cross-check: WordNet senses (7)
  1. nouna strong feeling or emotion — also: passionateness
  2. nounthe trait of being intensely emotional — also: heat, warmth
  3. nounsomething that is desired intensely — also: rage
  4. nounan irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action — also: mania, cacoethes
  5. nouna feeling of strong sexual desire
  6. nounany object of warm affection or devotion — also: love
  7. nounthe suffering of Jesus at the Crucifixion — also: Passion of Christ
Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License

Synonyms: ardor, fire in the belly, zeal

Wiktionary: “passion” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

2 History of the word

The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)passion
  2. Middle Englishpassioun
  3. Old Frenchpassion
  4. Old Englishpassion)
  5. Latinpassio “suffering”
  6. Latinperfect
  7. Latindeponent
  8. Proto-Indo-European*peh₁- “to hurt”

From Middle English passioun, passion, from Old French passion (and in part from Old English passion), from Latin passio (“suffering”), noun of action from perfect passive participle passus (“suffered”), from deponent verb patior (“to suffer”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- (“to hurt”), see also Old English fēond (“devil, enemy”), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌹𐌰𐌽 (faian, “to blame”).

Wiktionary: “passion” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Derivatives — words built from “passion”

counterpassiondispassionempassionimpassionatemispassionoutpassionpashpassionalpassionatepassion-flowerpassionflowerpassionfruitpassionfulPassionistpassionlesspassionlikepassionproofpassion-riddenpassiontinipropassionsatis-passionunpassion

Phrases & compounds

cardiac passioncrime of passiongrande passiongrand passionheat of passionileac passioniliac passionischiadic passionpassion flowerpassion fruitpassion killerpassion of a convertpassion pitpassion playpassion pointpassion poppassion potionPassion Sundaypassion treepassion wagon

Related terms

impassionimpassivepassionatepassivepassivitypatiencepatient
Wiktionary: “passion” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Want to go deeper? See also “passion” on Etymonline ↗

3 Original language

Where “passion” came from before it was English.

Came into English from
Old French
Old French passion
Oldest written form
Latin
Latin deponent
Deepest root (reconstructed)
Proto-Indo-European
Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- “to hurt”
Wiktionary: “passion” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

4 Original meaning

What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European root
“to hurt”
Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- — rebuilt by linguists from its descendants; never written down.
Wiktionary: “passion” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913

A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.

passion n. [F., fr. L. passio, fr. pati, passus, to suffer. See Patient.]

  1. A suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress (as, a cardiac passion); specifically, the suffering of Christ between the time of the last supper and his death, esp. in the garden upon the cross.
  2. The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition; -- opposed to action.
  3. Capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.
  4. The state of the mind when it is powerfully acted upon and influenced by something external to itself; the state of any particular faculty which, under such conditions, becomes extremely sensitive or uncontrollably excited; any emotion or sentiment (specifically, love or anger) in a state of abnormal or controlling activity; an extreme or inordinate desire; also, the capacity or susceptibility of being so affected; as, to be in a passion; the passions of love, hate, jealously, wrath, ambition, avarice, fear, etc.; a passion for war, or for drink; an orator should have passion as well as rhetorical skill.

passion v. t.

  1. To give a passionate character to.

passion v. i.

  1. To suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), public domain, via GCIDE

5 Use it with confidence

Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.

nounMeaning: A true desire sustained or prolonged.

An oil lamp burned upon a high, old-fashioned mantel, casting its dim rays over a dozen repulsive figures. All but one were men. The other was a woman of about thirty. Her face, marked by low passions and dissipation, might once have been lovely.1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 27:

nounMeaning: Any great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or extreme hate.

We share a passion for books.

That was partly because of a swirling wind that made precision passing difficult and also a derby atmosphere where the emphasis seemed to be on passion rather than football.2011 January 16, Saj Chowdhury, “Sunderland 1 – 1 Newcastle”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 07 Dec 2019:

nounMeaning: Fervor, determination.

I spoke with a burning passion.

nounMeaning: An object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.

It started as a hobby, but now my motorbike collection has become my passion.

nounMeaning: Sexual intercourse, especially when very emotional.

We shared a night of passion.

nounMeaning: any object of warm affection or devotion

he has a passion for cock fighting

Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License
Wiktionary: “passion” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Three steps to owning it

  1. Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
  2. Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
  3. Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?

6 The mastery game

Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.

Step 1 of 10

Say it, then spell it

passion

/ˈpæʃən/ · pas·sion

Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.

Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________

passion

/ˈpæʃən/ · pas·sion · noun, verb

Step 1 — Say it and write it

Say “passion” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.

Step 2 — Know every meaning

Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.

1. (noun) A true desire sustained or prolonged.
2. (noun) Any great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or extreme hate.
3. (noun) Fervor, determination.
4. (noun) An object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.
5. (noun) Sexual intercourse, especially when very emotional.

Step 3 — Which meaning is it?

“We share a passion for books.”

A. Any great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or extreme hate.
B. Sexual intercourse, especially when very emotional.
C. An object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.

Circle the meaning used.

“I spoke with a burning passion.”

A. Sexual intercourse, especially when very emotional.
B. An object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.
C. Fervor, determination.

Circle the meaning used.

“It started as a hobby, but now my motorbike collection has become my passion.”

A. A true desire sustained or prolonged.
B. Sexual intercourse, especially when very emotional.
C. An object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.

Circle the meaning used.

Step 4 — History and origin

Which language did “passion” come into English from?   A. Medieval Latin  B. Ancient Greek  C. Late Latin  D. Old French

Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):

Write three words built from “passion” and what each means:

Step 5 — Original meaning

The earliest traceable form is Proto-Indo-European *peh₁-. What did it mean?

How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?

Step 6 — Use it yourself

Write a sentence using “passion” to mean: A true desire sustained or prolonged.
Write a sentence using “passion” to mean: Any great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or extreme hate.
Write a sentence using “passion” to mean: Fervor, determination.

☐ I can explain its meanings   ☐ I know its history   ☐ I know its original language   ☐ I know its original meaning   ☐ I can use it confidently

Answer key — passion

Which meaning, sentence 1: A. Any great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or extreme hate.

Which meaning, sentence 2: C. Fervor, determination.

Which meaning, sentence 3: C. An object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.

Origin: D. Old French (Old French passion)

Journey: English passion ← Middle English passioun ← Old French passion ← Old English passion) ← Latin passio ← Latin perfect ← Latin deponent ← Proto-Indo-European *peh₁-

Some derivatives: counterpassion, dispassion, empassion, impassionate, mispassion, outpassion, pash, passional

Original meaning: Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- — “to hurt”

Etymology: From Middle English passioun, passion, from Old French passion (and in part from Old English passion), from Latin passio (“suffering”), noun of action from perfect passive participle passus (“suffered”), from deponent verb patior (“to suffer”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- (“to hurt”), see also Old English fēond (“devil, enemy”), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌹𐌰𐌽 (faian, “to blame”).

Sources: Wiktionary “passion” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/passion#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/passion