vis-à-vis
UK/viːz.ɑːˈviː//viz.ɑˈvi/
vis-à-vis preposition: in relation to; compared with.
Preposition
vis-à-vis
- In relation to; compared with.
- Canada's role vis-à-vis the United States' in Afghanistan
- Bet She'an, Bet Guvrin and Kefar Zemah were originally considered part of Eretz Yisrael vis-à-vis tithing, but Rabbi Judah the Prince excluded them from Eretz Yisrael when the Jewish population shrank.2000, David Golinkin, “Returning Territories for the Sake of Peace”, in Responsa in a Moment, volume 3, page 32
- Opposite; across from; set so as to be facing.
- He was seated vis-à-vis the president.
Noun
vis-à-vis (plural vis-à-vis)
- A small horse-drawn carriage for two people sitting facing each other.
- there is not a greater difference between a single-horse chair and madam Pompadour’s vis a vis, than betwixt a single amour, and an amour thus nobly doubled1761, Laurence Sterne, The Life & Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, volume 3, Penguin, published 2003, page 188
- A sofa with seats for two people, so arranged that the occupants are face to face while sitting on opposite sides.
- One of two (or more) people facing or opposite each other.
- But the wrath that I awaited did not descend. Instead, my young vis-à-vis merely looked melancholy.1933, Vera Brittain, Testament of Youth, Penguin, published 2005, page 456
- A date or escort in a social event.
- That was what Miss McKenna said, and the Sergeant who was my vis-à-vis looked the same thing.1888, Rudyard Kipling, “The Daughter of the Regiment”, in Plain Tales from the Hills, Folio Society, published 2005, page 136
- A person holding a corresponding position in another organisation.
- I talked with my vis-à-vis in the French embassy.
- Synonyms:
- counterpart
Adjective
vis-à-vis (not comparable)
- Face-to-face.
- Having two portraits facing each other.
Adverb
vis-à-vis (not comparable)
- Face to face (with another).
- […]turning the seat in front so we could sit vis-a-vis1883, William Wallace Cook, “Aquastor”, in Overland Monthly, page 14
- I never had the opportunity to meet you vis-a-vis, but your correspondence exuded your dedication, your defying spirit, your warmth, and your literary goals.1989 February 12, Ann Allen Shockley, “A Posthumous Letter To Joseph Beam”, in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 30, page 6
- In a position facing a specified or implied subject.
vis-à-vis meaning in Hindi, Arabic and Malay
vis-à-vis in Hindi
- vis-à-vis
- बनाम banām
vis-à-vis in Arabic
- in relation to
- فِي مُوَاجَهَة fī muwājaha
- opposite
- فِي مُوَاجَهَة fī muwājaha
vis-à-vis in Malay
- in relation to
- vis-a-vis
- opposite
- vis-a-vis
Synonyms of vis-à-vis
Forms of vis-à-vis
| Preposition | |
|---|---|
| alternative form | vis-a-vis |
| Noun | |
| plural | vis-à-vis |
Origin of vis-à-vis
Unadapted borrowing from French vis-à-vis.
Questions about vis-à-vis
- What does vis-à-vis mean?
- Vis-à-vis means in relation to; compared with.
- What is vis-à-vis in Hindi?
- Vis-à-vis in Hindi is बनाम (banām). See Vis-à-vis meaning in Hindi.
- What part of speech is vis-à-vis?
- Vis-à-vis can be a preposition, a noun, an adjective or an adverb.
- How do you pronounce vis-à-vis?
- Vis-à-vis is pronounced /viːz.ɑːˈviː/ (UK).
Words near vis-à-vis in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: vis-à-vis (page history and authors); बनाम (Hindi) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: en-us-vis-à-vis.ogg.
Cite this entry: “vis-à-vis.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/vis-%C3%A0-vis. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.