'often-passed' originates from the combination of 'often,' meaning 'frequently,' and 'passed,' the past participle of 'pass,' meaning 'to move or go across.'

'often' and 'passed' have been used in English since the Middle Ages, with 'often' deriving from Old English 'oft' and 'passed' from the Old French 'passer.'

Initially, 'often' meant 'frequently' and 'passed' meant 'to go by,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.