passport

noun

pass·​port ˈpas-ˌpȯrt 

plural passports

1

a

: a formal document issued by an authorized official of a country to one of its citizens that is usually necessary for exit from and reentry into the country, that allows the citizen to travel in a foreign country in accordance with visa requirements, and that requests protection for the citizen while abroad

b

: a license issued by a country permitting a foreign citizen to pass or take goods through its territory : safe-conduct

c

: a document of identification required by law to be carried by persons residing or traveling within a country

2

a

: a permission or authorization to go somewhere

b

: something that secures admission, acceptance, or attainment

education as a passport to success

see also:

vaccine passport

Synonyms of passport

• ticket
• key
• gateway

Examples of passport in a Sentence

meeting that movie director could be your passport to a big acting career

to its followers, the cult seemed like their passport to heaven

Recent Examples on the Web

Nearly half of Americans do not have a valid passport. —Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026

The bill would require voters to provide a birth certificate or passport for registration with the potential for disenfranchising vast numbers of voters as many Americans don’t have a passport or can no longer find their birth certificate. —Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026

Implementation of the order would create a permanent underclass of stateless individuals born in the United States who would be denied fundamental rights and services, including passports, Social Security cards, and access to federal programs like Medicaid and SNAP. —Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026

Instead, the legislation allows voters to present a driver’s license, military ID card, or passport. —David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English (Scots) pasport, from Middle French passeport, from passer to pass + port port, from Latin portus — more at ford

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing passport

• vaccine passport

Rhymes for passport

• abort
• airport
• alport
• athwart
• carport
• comport
• consort
• deport
• distort
• escort
• exhort
• extort

Kids Definition

passport

noun

pass·​port ˈpas-ˌpō(ə)rt 

-ˌpȯ(ə)rt

1

: a government-issued document that serves to identify a citizen and allows him or her to travel to foreign countries

2

: something that allows a person to reach a desired goal

education can be a passport to a successful future