4 syllables: Lai, ssez, Pass, er. Stress on Lai.
LAY-zay PAS-ur
/ˈleɪzeɪ ˈpæsɚ/
Laissez-Passer is pronounced LAY-zay PAS-ur (/ˈleɪzeɪ ˈpæsɚ/). It has four syllables (Lai-ssez-Pass-er), with the stress on "Lai". Laissez-Passer is a French compound noun meaning a document that certifies identity or authorizes travel; it is often used for passports, exit permits, or official passes. In English contexts it is treated as a loanword, retaining French pronunciation and hyphenation. The term appears in international law and border-control discourse, and may be encountered in diplomatic or bureaucratic documents and travel advisories.
nounLaissez-Passer is a French compound noun meaning a document that certifies identity or authorizes travel; it is often used for passports, exit permits, or official passes. In English contexts it is treated as a loanword, retaining French pronunciation and hyphenation. The term appears in international law and border-control discourse, and may be encountered in diplomatic or bureaucratic documents and travel advisories.
How to Pronounce Laissez-Passer
"He produced a Laissez-Passer issued by the UN to cross the border."
"The embassy handed her a Laissez-Passer after verification of credentials."
"Only officials carried a Laissez-Passer during the delegation's transit."
Pronounce as lɛˈzɛ-pas.se (approx. lɛ-zay-pah-say in careful French-influenced English). Primary stress on the second syllable: lais-SAY-pass-eh. In US and UK, the final -er ending is not pronounced as a separate schwa; treat it as a two-syllable French-like sequence with a lightly rhotacized or non-rhotic ending depending on speaker. You can listen to native French or bilingual pronunciations to calibrate the vowels.
Common errors: misplacing stress on the first syllable (LAIS-say-PASS-er); incorrect final -er pronunciation turning into -ar or -er with strong English r. Another error is bleaching the sibilants so the second syllable doesn’t clearly distinguish, and over-anglicizing vowels making laɪ-esse instead of laɪ-zay. Correction: keep lais-say as a two-syllable French lead, then finalize with 'pas-seh' with a soft final schwa. Aim for lɛ-ˈzɛˌpas-e, with light 'e' on the end.
US: tends toward lɛˈzɛ.pæ.se or lɛˈzeɪ-pə-sər depending on exposure; non-rhotic tendencies may mute r. UK: closer to French rhythm, with less vowel reduction and a crisp second syllable; final -er often not pronounced as r. AU: similar to UK but with slightly broader vowel sounds and more pronounced final schwa in casual speech. Across all, the middle syllable carries notable emphasis; listeners expect a two-part rhythm with a clear pa- syllable and a lightly stressed -ser segment.
Difficulties stem from the French phonotactics: the initial 'Lai-' sequence [lɛ] with a palatalized diphthong, the 'zai' slice requiring a soft 'z' followed by 'ay' vowel, and the 'Pas' with a clear [pa] but a final French-like 'se' [se] that many English speakers flatten. The hyphenated form also creates prosodic balancing: you must maintain even timing across two semantically linked parts and then a final light ending. Also, the combination of liason-influenced consonants and the non-rhotic or rhotic variation adds variability.
In English usage, the hyphen is standard when borrowing from French, especially in formal or bureaucratic writing (Laissez-Passer). Some stylings occasionally omit the hyphen in less formal contexts, yielding Laissez-Passer as a fixed compound; however, consistency is preferred in official documents. Pronunciation remains essentially unchanged whether written with or without a hyphen. For SEO and style, maintain the hyphen in formal writing.
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Laissez-Passer comes from French, literally meaning 'let pass' (laisser = to let/allow, passer = to pass). Historically, the term appears in 18th- and 19th-century diplomacy and military usage as a travel or transit document allowing an individual to pass through borders or checkpoint authorities. The word entered broader administrative vocabulary as international mobility regimes expanded, particularly in mid-20th century when organized bodies like the United Nations issued travel documents to representatives and stateless persons. In legal and diplomatic contexts, the phrase retained its gloss as a safe-conduct type of credential, often written with a hyphen and capitalized when used as a proper noun in English discourse. First known instances in English-language diplomatic archives date from the late 19th to early 20th century, with adoption accelerating post-World War II as international travel and humanitarian missions increased. The term remains more common in formal, bureaucratic registers than in everyday speech, and its French origin is usually preserved in English usage, especially in international organizations and consular communications.
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Words that rhyme with "Laissez-Passer"
-ser sounds
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