I. ˈpasiv, ˈpaas-, ˈpais-, -sēv also -səv adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin passivus, from passus (past participle of pati to suffer, undergo) + -ivus -ive — more at patient
1.
a. : not acting but acted upon : subject to or produced by an external agency : receptive to outside impressions or influences
nature is neutral and passive — W.P.Webb
takes his color from his surroundings, a passive agent of his environment — Van Wyck Brooks
b.
(1) of a verb form or voice : asserting that the person or thing represented by the grammatical subject is subjected to or affected by the action represented by the verb
was hit in “he was hit by the ball” and was given in “he was given a prize” are passive
— compare active
(2) of a grammatical construction : containing a passive verb form
c. : lacking in energy or will : lethargic
its people are a passive , frustrated, and resigned lot — John Mason Brown
a vague, passive girl, content to remain at home and dream — Ruth Blodgett
d. : induced by an outside agency without either active participation or resistance of the individual affected
neuromuscular reeducation through passive exercise
2.
a. : not active or operating : not moving : inert , quiescent
the faint light from the street lamp outlined the passive hump he made in the bedclothes — Dorothy Sayers
engines passive as great cats — Thomas Wolfe
b. : existing in a dormant state but capable of being used or brought into play : latent
has a larger passive vocabulary than he realizes
c. : of, relating to, or characterized by a state of chemical inactivity : not reacting readily : resistant to corrosion
iron and nickel become passive when treated with fuming nitric acid
3. Scots law : of, relating to, or subject to a liability
4.
a. : receiving or enduring without resistance : patient , submissive , unresisting
there is in her a passive surrender to the powers of life — P.E.More
no one has a right explicitly to make of another a mere passive instrument of his will — G.L.Dickinson
b. : carried through or expressed by indirect means : existing without being active or open
passive support
Synonyms: see inactive
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from passive (I)
1.
a. : something (as a person, object, or quality) acted upon by something else — usually used in plural
b. or passive bobbin : hanger 5
2.
a. : a passive verb
b. : the passive voice of a language or a form in it
III. adjective
1. : not involving expenditure of chemical energy
passive transport across a cell membrane
2.
a. : exhibiting no gain or control — used of an electronic device (as a capacitor or resistor)
b. : operating solely by means of the power of an input signal
a passive communication satellite that reflects television signals
c. : relating to the detection of or to orientation by means of an object through its emission of energy or sound
3. : of, relating to, or making direct use of the sun's heat usually without the intervention of mechanical devices
passive technique
passive building design
4. : of, relating to, or being business activity in which the investor does not have immediate control over income
passive investment