past
/pɑːst/
adjective, noun, preposition, adverb
Origin
Latin
passus — step or pace
Overview
Meaning Now
- gone by in time and no longer existing.
- a period of time that has already occurred.
- beyond in time, place, or amount.
Literal older meaning
passed; moved by
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
past
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The word originates as the past participle of the verb 'pass'. Over time, it diverged to function independently as a noun (the time before the present) and a preposition (beyond a point).
Evolution
- Latin
passare
“to step, to pass”
Vulgar Latin formation from passus.
- Old French
passer
“to pass by”
- Middle English
past
“gone by”
Past participle form established as a distinct adjective.
Connections
Word parts
pass
root
go
-t
suffix
participle marker
Related across languages
French
passé
past
Spanish
pasado
past
Explore next
Related to past
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.