pass-fail

[ pas-feyl, pahs- ]

noun

, Education.

1. a system of grading in some educational institutions in which a student simply passes or fails instead of receiving a letter or numerical grade.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pass-fail¹

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

“Your experience is timed but not in a pass-fail sense,” Nelson says.

From Los Angeles Times

When you do, you might be given the option of taking a pass-fail online knowledge test, or to instead use the DMV’s eLearning program, which is what Group did.

From Los Angeles Times

The stress test was not a pass-fail exercise for banks in the 20 countries that use the euro currency.

From Seattle Times

It’s a pass-fail test, and it doesn’t impact the vehicle’s safety rating.

From Slate

It ended much of the drama of the tests by scrapping the "pass-fail" model and introducing a more nuanced, bank-specific capital regime.

From Reuters