passer

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *peth₂-der. Proto-Italic *pattus Vulgar Latin passus Proto-Italic *-āzi ▲ Vulgar Latin -ereinflu. Vulgar Latin -āre Vulgar Latin *passāre Old French passerbor. Middle English passen English pass Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzijos Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English passer From pass + -er.

1. One who succeeds in passing a test, etc.

   “The distributions of scores on the exam for passers and failers are plotted […]”

2. One who passes something along; a distributor.

   “a passer of counterfeit banknotes”

3. Someone who passes, someone who makes a pass.

   “A superb passer of the ball, we expected him to wipe the floor with the opposition.”

4. Someone who passes, someone who makes a pass.
5. A passed pawn.
6. One who passes; a passer-by.

   “There was a promise of it in the gorgeous purity of the western sky; there was an intimation in the mild, unimpertinent gaze of the passers of a certain natural facility in things.”

   “Passers stopped and began to stare. A policeman was approaching up the street. Dave dodged back into the cab and banged the door.”

7. One who is able to "pass", or be accepted as a member of a race, sex or other group to which society would not otherwise regard them as belonging.

   “Explores the history, literature, and sociology of passing, and provides case studies of six individuals who are "passers," including a black man who passed as a white Jew and a lesbian naval officer who passed as straight.”

   “Passers and would-be passers make every effort to be convincing in their chosen gender role […]”