Standard Lemma guide

passthrough

noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act or process of passing through.

As of a signal through a device or network.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: business, computing, electrical-engineering, electricity, electromagnetism, electronics, energy, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, networking, physical-sciences, physics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The act or process of passing through.

As of increased costs through a business entity to its customers through increased prices.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: business, economics, sciences

Examples

  • The airlines called the fuel surcharge a passthrough, but did not rescind it until well after fuel prices had returned to previous levels.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The act or process of passing through.

Allowing the use of some resource unchanged from one system to another.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

Examples

  • GPU passthrough
  • passthrough shader

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A wall opening intended to allow something to be passed through it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A legal entity intended to not incur (income) taxation at the entity, but solely at the beneficiaries.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: economics, government, sciences, taxation

Examples

  • Partnerships, limited-liability companies, and Subchapter S corporations are the main US passthroughs.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: flowthrough

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Deverbal from pass through.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: läpimeno — The act of passing through
  • French: traversée — The act of passing through
  • Russian: прохо́д (proxód) — The act of passing through
  • Russian: прое́зд (projézd) — The act of passing through
  • Spanish: modo transparente — VR headset mode
  • Spanish: passthru (pászru) — VR headset mode