"En passant" is a term used in the game of chess to describe a special move. The spelling of this term comes from the French language, with "en" meaning "in" and "passant" meaning "passing." The IPA phonetic transcription for "en" is [ɑ̃], which represents the nasalized vowel sound of the French language. The phonetic transcription for "pas" is [pa], which is pronounced similarly in English, but with a slightly different stress pattern. Finally, "sant" is spelled as [sɑ̃], again using the nasalized vowel sound.
En passant is a term commonly used in the game of chess to describe a special move involving pawns. The term is of French origin, meaning "in passing," and it refers to the ability of a pawn to capture an opponent's pawn as if it had only moved one square forward. This maneuver can only be executed in specific circumstances.
In chess, when a pawn makes its initial move from its starting position, it has the option to advance two squares forward. If an opponent's pawn advances two squares forward from its starting position and ends up next to the first pawn, the move en passant becomes available. The attacking pawn has the opportunity to capture the opponent's pawn as if it had only moved one square forward. This rule ensures that players cannot avoid pawn captures by executing double pawn advances.
En passant is subject to certain conditions: the attacking pawn must execute the move immediately after the opponent's pawn moves forward, and it can only be performed on the very next move. If the opportunity is missed, en passant cannot be executed later in the game.
This maneuver adds an additional layer of tactical complexity to the game, as players must be aware of the possibility of en passant and consider it as a potential move in their strategic calculations.
• Cursorily; by the way.
• In passing; by the way.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The term "en passant" is of French origin, meaning "in passing". It comes from the verb "passer" which means "to pass". In the context of chess, "en passant" refers to a special move involving the capture of an opponent's pawn that has just made a double-step move forward from its original position. The term was first introduced in the late 15th century in France when the rule was added to the game.