- Most likely originiated at Rice, a school that allows students to "pass-fail" on class per year (4 total for a student who graduates in 4 years); can also be used as a noun, in the sense that one has 4 pass-fails total, and can use one per year.
pass-fail
zero derivation; verb
to designate a course "pass-fail" meaning that a grade is not assigned, rather you receive a P for pass or an F for fail
Etymology : Conversion of the label "pass-fail" to a verb that refers to the action of putting a pass-fail on a class. Also, a compounding of the words "pass" and "fail"
Source : "I pass-failed my french class." (conversation, September, 2011)
Last modified: 2 December 2011