Passy

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. A quaint suburban district of Paris known for its residential charm and historical significance as a former village merged into the city
2. A neighborhood characterized by elegant architecture and cultural heritage in the western part of the French capital
3. An area once independent and now integrated into a major European metropolis, noted for its affluent atmosphere and scenic views along the Seine river

Etymology: Passy is a district in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, on the western side of the city near the Bois de Boulogne, and its name has come to stand in English for the wealthy, fashionable end of town. The word reached English by being borrowed directly from French, so the place-name was carried over as a label for the neighbourhood's social reputation rather than for the place itself. The name is simply the French place-name, and the English noun and adjective use it the same way one might use a famous address to mean the people who live there. Used this way, it describes things associated with that affluent quarter, and it is the kind of borrowed proper noun that English keeps mainly for its evocative sense of prosperity and Parisian elegance.

Synonyms: Passy (proper name), passy (slang: fashionable)