dos passos: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowFormal/Literary/Historical
Quick answer
What does “dos passos” mean?
A specific style of two-beat horse gait.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A specific style of two-beat horse gait; also a family name of literary significance.
Primarily known as the surname of the American novelist John Dos Passos, author of the 'U.S.A. Trilogy'. In equestrian contexts, it can refer to a specific, often showy, two-beat lateral gait of a horse, similar to a pace or rack, but the term is not standard in mainstream English equestrian terminology and is more likely found in historical or regional usage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference. Recognition is equally low in both varieties and is almost exclusively tied to the author John Dos Passos.
Connotations
Literary, modernist, historical. Conjures early 20th-century American literature and social critique.
Frequency
Extremely rare outside literary discussions. Virtually non-existent in everyday speech.
Grammar
How to Use “dos passos” in a Sentence
[Proper Noun]the [Proper Noun] novelVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “dos passos” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- His early work is very Dos Passos in its experimental form.
American English
- The novel's Dos Passos-like style uses newsreels and biographies.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in literary studies and American history modules discussing modernist narrative techniques.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Potentially in historical equestrian texts describing gaits, but this is exceptionally rare.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “dos passos”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “dos passos”
- Using it as a common noun (e.g., 'The horse moved in a dos passos').
- Misspelling as 'dos pasos' (missing one 's').
- Mispronouncing 'Dos' to rhyme with 'boss' in American English; the 'o' is often a long 'o' (/oʊ/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not a standard English lexical item. It is a proper noun, specifically a surname of Portuguese origin, famously borne by the American novelist John Dos Passos.
In American English, it is commonly pronounced /doʊs ˈpæsoʊs/ (dohs PASS-ohs). In British English, it is often /dɒs ˈpæsɒs/ (doss PASS-oss). The original Portuguese pronunciation is different.
While the literal Portuguese/Spanish meaning is 'two steps', and it might appear in very niche equestrian contexts describing a gait, this usage is extremely rare and not part of standard English equestrian vocabulary. The primary association remains literary.
Focus on its identity as the surname of John Dos Passos (1896–1970), a key figure in American modernist literature. Recognise it as a proper noun, not a common phrase.
A specific style of two-beat horse gait.
Dos passos is usually formal/literary/historical in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Dos' (two in Spanish) 'passos' (steps) for a two-beat gait, but remember it's most famous as the name of the ONE author John Dos Passos.
Conceptual Metaphor
A NAME AS A NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE: 'Dos Passos' in literary circles metaphorically represents a fragmented, multi-perspective style of writing.
Practice
Quiz
What is 'dos passos' primarily recognised as in modern English?