What does passant mean?
A passant is most commonly a heraldic term describing an animal shown walking rather than standing, rearing, or leaping. In a typical passant depiction, all four feet are visible, the dexter forepaw is raised, and the animal faces toward the bearer’s right, which appears on the viewer’s left. The term is commonly seen in phrases such as “lion passant” and in the more specialized attitude “passant guardant,” where the animal is walking but turning its head backward. As a noun, it can refer to an animal or figure represented in that posture. An older, now archaic sense refers to a person who is passing by. Outside heraldic and historical writing, however, passer-by is the usual modern term. The word is therefore worth knowing primarily for reading coats of arms, armorial descriptions, and historical texts.
In heraldry, of or depicting an animal walking, with the dexter forepaw raised and all four feet shown.
"The banner featured a boar passant."
Chiefly a heraldic term; it is also found in older prose with the broader meaning “passing by.”
A figure or animal depicted in the heraldic walking posture; archaically, a person passing by.
"The engraving showed each passant in a different heraldic attitude."
The heraldic noun is uncommon outside armorial contexts, while the sense “passer-by” is archaic.
Rare; in heraldic contexts, the plural normally refers to multiple animals or figures depicted walking. In ordinary usage, passer-by or passers-by is preferred.
"Two passants guard the lower edge of the shield."
Think of it as heraldry’s walking pose: a beast moves forward while lifting its right forepaw.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does passant come from?
The word comes from French passant, the present participle of passer, meaning “passing” or “walking.” French passer ultimately derives from Latin passare, itself associated with pandere, “to spread” or “to extend,” in the sense of stepping forward. The heraldic sense developed from the French description of an animal represented in a walking posture, while the older English noun meaning a passer-by also reflects the literal French wording.
How passant is actually used
The word is now overwhelmingly confined to heraldic English. Its broader use for a passer-by is archaic and much less common than the ordinary noun passer-by.