en passant

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "en passant" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is a French phrase that means "in passing" and is commonly used in the context of chess. An example of using "en passant" in a sentence could be: "The player took his opponent's pawn en passant, allowing him to gain an advantage on the chess board."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

En passant captures are designated by e.p.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Only pawns can be captured en passant.

Encyclopedia Britannica

pawns are correctly killed in En Passant.

University of California, Berkeley

And -- en passant -- nobody's going to inform on you.

The New York Times - Magazine

One is the number of en passant errors and omissions.

The Guardian - Books

He preens imperceptibly, comparing himself en passant to Madonna.

The Guardian

This will also prove useful for implementing En Passant.

University of California, Berkeley

Second, the play ended with a suicide coup en passant.

The New York Times

En passant, it also shows how someone can be both staggeringly clever and also astonishingly naive.

The Guardian - Opinion

En passant bouton-rich axons were analysed using EPBscore39, a Matlab custom-built software.

Nature

Then his last trump scored en passant to bring home his doubled contract.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal writing, italicizing the phrase is optional but can help clarify its French origin as a loanword.

Common error

Do not use phrases like "briefly en passant", as the phrase itself inherently implies a brief or incidental mention. Adding extra descriptors of brevity creates unnecessary wordiness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "en passant" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying the manner in which an action (usually speaking or observing) is performed. In the data provided by Ludwig, it often appears at the end of a clause or as a parenthetical insertion. It acts as a sentence adverb that frames the subsequent or preceding information as incidental.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

27%

Wiki

22%

Less common in

Academia

15%

Encyclopedias

4%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "en passant" is a versatile and highly useful French loanword in English. Ludwig AI confirms its status as a correct and widely used phrase across diverse fields. In general writing, it serves as an elegant way to introduce incidental remarks without disrupting the flow of the main subject. In specialized contexts like chess, it represents a mandatory technical term for a specific pawn capture. Furthermore, its application in scientific research, particularly in describing neural connections, demonstrates its precision in academic discourse. Writers should feel confident using "en passant" to add depth to their prose, provided they avoid redundant modifiers like "briefly".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in passing

Uses a more direct English equivalent for the French loanword.

incidentally

Shifts to a single adverb that implies the information is secondary to the main topic.

by the way

Adopts a more conversational and idiomatic tone.

parenthetically

Suggests the information is an aside, as if contained within brackets.

tangentially

Emphasizes that the point is only slightly related to the central theme.

along the way

Provides a more literal, spatial interpretation of the 'passing' aspect.

on the side

Informal phrasing indicating an auxiliary or secondary mention.

obiter dictum

A Latin legal term meaning a remark made 'by the way' in a judicial opinion.

while transitioning

Focuses on the movement between two main points.

briefly mentioned

Descriptive phrase that captures the short duration of the reference.

FAQs

How do I use "en passant" in a sentence?

You can use it to introduce a side note, for example: "He mentioned his previous job "en passant" while we discussed the new project."

What can I say instead of "en passant"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "in passing", "incidentally" or "by the way".

Is "en passant" only used in chess?

No, while it is a famous chess rule, it is widely used in general English to mean "in passing". It is also used in science, specifically in biology to describe "en passant synapse" configurations.

Is it "en passant" or "in passing"?

Both are correct. "in passing" is the English translation, while "en passant" is the original French loanword. The latter is often preferred in formal or academic writing.