A passenger is a person who travels in a car, bus, train, plane, or ship but is not driving or operating it. They are usually carried for a fee or as part of a group.
From Anglo-Norman French 'passager' meaning 'traveler', from 'passer' meaning 'to pass'. It originally referred more generally to someone making a journey.
The word 'passenger' grows out of the idea of 'one who passes through'—you’re defined by your movement, not by control. It highlights the strange role of being in motion while someone else is in charge.
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