diff --git a/runtime/syntax/passwd.vim b/runtime/syntax/passwd.vim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ffb979f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/syntax/passwd.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+" Vim syntax file
+" Language:         passwd(5) password file
+" Maintainer:       Nikolai Weibull <nikolai+work.vim@bitwi.se>
+" Latest Revision:  2005-06-30
+
+if exists("b:current_syntax")
+  finish
+endif
+
+let s:cpo_save = &cpo
+set cpo&vim
+
+syn match   passwdBegin         display '^' nextgroup=passwdAccount
+
+syn match   passwdAccount       contained display '[a-z_][a-z0-9_-]*'
+                                \ nextgroup=passwdPasswordColon
+
+syn match   passwdPasswordColon contained display ':'
+                                \ nextgroup=passwdPassword,passwdShadow
+
+syn match   passwdPassword      contained display '[^:]\+'
+                                \ nextgroup=passwdUIDColon
+
+syn match   passwdShadow        contained display '[x*!]'
+                                \ nextgroup=passwdUIDColon
+
+syn match   passwdUIDColon      contained display ':' nextgroup=passwdUID
+
+syn match   passwdUID           contained display '\d\+'
+                                \ nextgroup=passwdGIDColon
+
+syn match   passwdGIDColon      contained display ':' nextgroup=passwdGID
+
+syn match   passwdGID           contained display '\d\+'
+                                \ nextgroup=passwdGecosColon
+
+syn match   passwdGecosColon    contained display ':' nextgroup=passwdGecos
+
+syn match   passwdGecos         contained display '[^:]*'
+                                \ nextgroup=passwdDirColon
+
+syn match   passwdDirColon      contained display ':' nextgroup=passwdDir
+
+syn match   passwdDir           contained display '/[^:]*'
+                                \ nextgroup=passwdShellColon
+
+syn match   passwdShellColon    contained display ':'
+                                \ nextgroup=passwdShell
+
+syn match   passwdShell         contained display '[/*][^:]*'
+
+hi def link passwdColon         Normal
+hi def link passwdAccount       Identifier
+hi def link passwdPasswordColon passwdColon
+hi def link passwdPassword      Number
+hi def link passwdShadow        Special
+hi def link passwdUIDColon      passwdColon
+hi def link passwdUID           Number
+hi def link passwdGIDColon      passwdColon
+hi def link passwdGID           Number
+hi def link passwdGecosColon    passwdColon
+hi def link passwdGecos         Comment
+hi def link passwdDirColon      passwdColon
+hi def link passwdDir           Type
+hi def link passwdShellColon    passwdColon
+hi def link passwdShell         Operator
+
+let b:current_syntax = "passwd"
+
+let &cpo = s:cpo_save
+unlet s:cpo_save