[pas.sive] adj [ME, fr. L passivus, fr. passus, pp.] (14c) 1 a (1): acted upon by an external agency (2): receptive to outside impressions or influences b (1): asserting that the grammatical subject of a verb is subjected to or affected by the action represented by that verb (2): containing or yielding a passive verb form c (1): lacking in energy or will: lethargic (2): tending not to take an active or dominant part d: induced by an outside agency "~ exercise of a paralyzed leg"
2. a: not active or operating: inert b: of, relating to, or making direct use of the sun's heat usu. without the intervention of mechanical devices "~ technique" "~ solar house" c: latent d (1): of, relating to, or characterized by a state of chemical inactivity; esp: resistant to corrosion (2): not involving expenditure of chemical energy "~ transport across a cell membrane" e of an electronic element: exhibiting no gain or control f: operating solely by means of the power of an input signal "a ~ communication satellite that reflects television signals" g: relating to the detection of an object through its emission of energy 3 a: receiving or enduring without resistance: submissive b: existing or occurring without being active, open, or direct "~ support"
4: of, relating to, or being business activity in which the investor does not have immediate control over income syn see inactive -- pas.sive.ly adv -- pas.sive.ness n -- pas.siv.i.ty n
[2]passive n (1530) 1: a passive verb form
2: the passive voice of a language