Why “Passover”? On the True Meaning of Pesaḥ-פסח

David Clines in his Dictionary of Classical Hebrew , vol. 6 (Sheffield 1993-) lists this as a separate meaning for the root פ.ס.ח.

See J.B. Segal, The Hebrew Passover From the Earliest Times to A.D. 70 (London: Oxford University Press, 1963), 163.

Rashi may have been influenced by the Mekhilta an early halakhic midrash, which offers two opinions (Mekhilta de-Rabbi Yishmael, “Pisḥa” 7).

ומה ת”ל וראיתי את הדם. אלא בשכר מצוה שאתם עושים אני נגלה וחס עליכם שנאמר ופסחתי עליכם.

What does the verse “And I will see the blood” teach us? That as a reward for the commandment that you fulfill I will reveal myself and protect [or have mercy] on you as it says “I will protect you [ופסחתי עליכם].

ופסחתי עליכם. ר’ יאשיה אומר אל תקרי ופסחתי אלא ופסעתי שהב”ה מדלג על בתי בניו במצרים שנאמר קול דודי הנה זה בא מדלג על ההרים מקפץ על הגבעות.

עליכם. R. Josiah says, don’t read ופסחתי, but ופסעתי (I will step), that the Blessed Holy One skips over the houses of his children in Egypt, as it is written “Hark! My Beloved! There he comes, Leaping over mountains, Bounding over hills” (Song 2:8).

Thus, the editors of the Mekhilta are very aware of the “protection” connotation for pasaḥ and cite it approvingly.

For more detailed information, see http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=ear .