Passant for Dummies

Passant is a word that could be a little tricky to understand at first, but don't worry, I'm here to help you make sense of it! So, let's break it down together. The word "passant" is often used in the context of heraldry, which is all about those fancy coats of arms and symbols you might see on flags or shields. When we talk about something being passant, it means it's a certain way a fantastic animal is positioned.

Imagine a big, powerful lion on a coat of arms. Normally, lions have four paws on the ground, right? But when we describe a lion as passant, it means it's on the move, walking forward, with one paw raised in the air and the other three paws on the ground. It's like the lion is saying, "Hey, I'm not just sitting here, I'm ready to go!" So, when something is passant, it means it's in that specific walking position, ready for action!

Let's think of it this way: you know how sometimes you're sitting down quietly, not doing much, just like a lion with all its paws resting on the ground? That's like when we describe something as "inactive" or "stationary." But when you're up and moving, with one foot off the ground, like the lion with one paw raised, we say you're "active" and "passant." It's like saying you're ready to take on challenges and seize opportunities!

Now let's explore another definition of "passant" beyond the heraldic world. We can also use this word to describe how animals appear in blazons, which are detailed written descriptions of coats of arms. In this sense, if an animal is passant, it means it's positioned in a certain way, like the walking lion we talked about earlier. This helps us paint a vivid picture in our minds when we read about these magnificent creatures.

So remember, when we say something is passant, it means it's in that dynamic walking position like a lion on the move, ready to tackle whatever comes its way! It's a way for us to describe energy, action, and readiness.