Vis-a-vis - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT vis-a-vis

Vis-a-vis is a fancy way of saying "in regard to" or "compared to," as in: "He was substantially underpaid vis-a-vis other researchers."

Technically that "a" in vis-a-vis is an "à" as the phrase translates literally from the French for "face to face." There's a slightly pedantic ring to the term vis-a-vis so use it with caution. It's more a term that might be used in a newspaper article or academic treatise, and something best avoided in speech altogether, unless you're deliberately aiming for comic effect.

Definitions of vis-a-vis

noun a person or thing having the same function or characteristics as another synonyms: counterpart, opposite number see moresee less types: match something that resembles or harmonizes with mismatch a bad or unsuitable match complement either of two parts that mutually complete each other type of: equivalent a person or thing equal to another in value, measure, force, effect, significance, etc.
noun small sofa that seats two people synonyms: love seat, loveseat, tete-a-tete see moresee less type of: couch, lounge, sofa an upholstered seat for more than one person
adverb face-to-face with; literally `face to face' “they sat vis-a-vis at the table” “I found myself vis-a-vis a burly policeman”

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Vocabulary lists containing vis-a-vis

2015 National Spelling Bee Words

page 2 of "450 words ranging in difficulty level for students in grades on through eight." Missing words: bizarro (replaced with bizarre), Podunk, albeit, squirrelly (replaced with squirrel), churros, also terra cotta (here) is "terra-cotta" on National Bee list, largesses becomes largesse, primadonna becomes prima donna, cordillera, kraken, wahine, umami, bas-relief becomes bas relief, Naugahyde, wunderkind, Sahel, bhangra

Florida's B.E.S.T. Foreign Words and Phrases from French

This vocabulary list features words and phrases that have come into English from French.

Foreign Words and Phrases from French

This vocabulary list features words and phrases that have come into English from French.

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