People who travel in a vehicle, aircraft, or ship but are not operating it. Travelers who are transported by others rather than traveling under their own power.
From Old French 'passager,' derived from 'passage' meaning 'a crossing or journey.' Originally referred to anyone making a passage or journey, but by the 15th century narrowed to mean specifically those being transported rather than those doing the transporting.
The word 'passenger' originally applied to any traveler, including those walking or riding their own horses, but the rise of public transportation narrowed its meaning to exclude the vehicle operator. This semantic narrowing reflects the historical shift from individual travel to mass transit systems.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.