What does passingly mean?
Passingly is a formal, uncommon adverb meaning in a passing manner, incidentally, or parenthetically. It is especially useful when an observation is made briefly or as an aside rather than serving as the speaker’s main point. A sentence such as “He passingly observed that the weather had improved” places the remark in a literary register and suggests that it receives little immediate emphasis. The word can also be used when someone adds a secondary piece of information to a discussion, as in “She passingly mentioned that the meeting would begin early.” Although its structure is transparent, passingly sounds somewhat old-fashioned and is much less common in everyday speech than the simpler phrase “in passing.” Its value lies in giving a concise, polished way to mark an aside without disrupting the main statement.
adverbIn a passing manner; incidentally or parenthetically.
- In a passing manner; incidentally or parenthetically.
"She mentioned passingly that she would be away for the week."
"She mentioned passingly that she would be away for the week."
"The guide passingly noted that the building was restored after the war."
A brief adverb that can turn an aside into a passing remark.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does passingly come from?
Passingly was formed from the present participle passing with the adverbial suffix -ly. The older word passing ultimately derives from the Latin verb passare, meaning “to step,” while its base element comes from Latin passus, a past participle meaning “stepped” or “passed.” The same Latin foundation appears in related English words such as passage, transit, trespass, and compass.
Related word forms
How passingly is actually used
Literary and uncommon. It typically introduces a brief, incidental observation, often resembling “by the way” or “in passing.”