vis-à-vis

1 of 3

preposition

1
: in relation to
2
: as compared with
3
: face-to-face with

vis-à-vis

2 of 3

noun

plural vis-à-vis ˈvēz-ə-ˈvē(z) How to pronounce vis-à-vis (audio)
ˈvēs-,
-ä-
1
: one that is face-to-face with another
2
3

vis-à-vis

3 of 3

adverb

: in company : together

Did you know?

Vis-à-vis comes from Latin by way of French, where it means literally "face-to-face." In English it was first used to refer to a little horse-drawn carriage in which two people sat opposite each other. From there it acquired various other meanings, such as "dancing partner." Today it no longer refers to actual physical faces and bodies, but its modern meaning comes from the fact that things that are face-to-face can easily be compared or contrasted. So, for example, a greyhound is very tall vis-à-vis a Scottie, and one currency may be stronger vis-à-vis another.

Examples of vis-à-vis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Preposition
As for Apple Intelligence, being inattentive to disability vis-a-vis accessibility to instead push a juicy, fatalistic narrative about Apple playing catchup isn’t happenstance either. Steven Aquino, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024 For the week, crude oil prices are up nearly 10% and that is something with the potential to upset the progress made vis-a-vis inflation. Jj Kinahan, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024 Generally speaking, economists may have some serious competitive disadvantages vis-a-vis lawyers in the political world. Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 24 Sep. 2024 Peace progresses its layout beyond the vis-a-vis sidewall sofa/kitchen floor plan that's become a staple of early ID. New Atlas, 8 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for vis-à-vis 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vis-à-vis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Preposition

French, literally, face-to-face

First Known Use

Preposition

1755, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Noun

circa 1757, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1760, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vis-à-vis was in 1755

Dictionary Entries Near vis-à-vis

Cite this Entry

“Vis-à-vis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vis-%C3%A0-vis. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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