vista

1 of 2

noun

vis·​ta ˈvi-stə 

1

: a distant view through or along an avenue or opening : prospect

2

: an extensive mental view (as over a stretch of time or a series of events)

VISTA

2 of 2

abbreviation

Volunteers in Service to America

Did you know?

Vista is generally used today for broad sweeping views of the kind you might see from a mountaintop. But the word originally meant an avenue-like view, narrowed by a line of trees on either side. And vista has also long been used (like view and outlook) to mean a mental scan of the future—as if you were riding down a long grand avenue and what you could see a mile or so ahead of you was where you'd be in the very near future.

Synonyms

Noun

• command
• lookout
• outlook
• panorama
• perspective
• prospect
• view

Examples of vista in a Sentence

Noun

a gorgeous vista of the mountains from the front window

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The new tier also includes the ability to build custom routes, view live trail conditions such as snow or rain, and even an artificial intelligence camera with companion journal that can track everything from mountain vistas to wild plants. —Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2025

Homeowners step out onto a private oasis in the rear, where a 400-square-foot deck provides breathtaking Pacific Ocean vistas. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 18 May 2025

The food was bad, the service lacklustre, and even the view failed to deliver, with the drama of the nearby Gateway Arch undermined by the charmless vistas of East St. Louis. —Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 18 May 2025

Grok posted similar unrelated responses to other X posts about cartoons, dentists and scenic vistas. —Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 14 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Italian, sight, from visto, past participle of vedere to see, from Latin vidēre — more at wit

First Known Use

Noun

1644, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for vista

• crista
• arista
• artiste
• batiste
• sandinista

Kids Definition

vista

noun

vis·​ta ˈvis-tə 

1

: a distant view through an opening or along an avenue : prospect

2

: a mental view over a long period of time

Geographical Definition

Vista

geographical name

Vis·​ta ˈvi-stə 

city in southwestern California north of San Diego population 93,834