Visit Definition & Meaning

American

British

Idioms

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms visit American [viz-it] / ˈvɪz ɪt /

verb (used with object)

1. to go to and stay with (a person or family) or at (a place) for a short time for reasons of sociability, politeness, business, curiosity, etc..

   to visit a friend; to visit clients; to visit Paris.

2. to stay with as a guest.

3. to come or go to.

   to visit a church for prayer.

4. to go to for the purpose of official inspection or examination.

   a general visiting his troops.

5. to come to in order to comfort or aid.

   to visit the sick.

6. to come upon; assail; afflict.

   The plague visited London in 1665.

7. to cause trouble, suffering, etc., to come to.

   to visit him with sorrows.

8. to access, as a website.

9. to inflict, as punishment, vengeance, etc. (often followed by on orupon ).

verb (used without object)

1. to make a visit.

2. to talk or chat casually.

   to visit on the phone with a friend.

3. to inflict punishment.

noun

1. the act of or an instance of visiting.

   a nice, long visit.

2. a chat or talk.

   We had a good visit on the way back from the grocery store.

3. a call paid to a person, family, etc.

4. a stay or sojourn as a guest.

5. an official inspection or examination.

6. the act of an officer of a belligerent nation in boarding a vessel in order to ascertain the nature of its cargo, its nationality, etc..

   the right of visit and search.

visit British / ˈvɪzɪt /

verb

1. to go or come to see (a person, place, etc)

2. to stay with (someone) as a guest

3. to go or come to (an institution, place, etc) for the purpose of inspecting or examining

4. (tr) (of a disease, disaster, etc) to assail; afflict

5. (tr; foll by upon or on) to inflict (punishment, etc)

   the judge visited his full anger upon the defendant

6. archaic to afflict or plague (with punishment, etc)

7. informal (often foll by with) to chat or converse (with someone)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

1. the act or an instance of visiting

2. a stay as a guest

3. a professional or official call

4. a formal call for the purpose of inspection or examination

5. international law the right of an officer of a belligerent state to stop and search neutral ships in war to verify their nationality and ascertain whether they carry contraband

   the right of visit and search

6. informal a friendly talk or chat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 visit Idioms

1. see pay a call (visit).

Other Word Forms

• intervisit verb (used without object)
• nonvisiting adjective
• previsit noun
• revisit verb
• unvisited adjective
• unvisiting adjective
• visitable adjective

Etymology

Origin of visit

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English visiten (verb), from Old French visiter, from Latin vīsitāre “to see repeatedly,” from vīsere “to go to see,” from vidēre “to see”; noun derivative of the verb

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Over the following days, the individual visited a few San Gabriel Valley fast food restaurants, potentially exposing others to the measles virus.

From Los Angeles Times

When the police visited Ashley Warren's home in Jaywick, Essex, he told them his XL bully dogs were misunderstood, even suggesting they were less vicious than a poodle.

From BBC

Later on Thursday, Celtic boss Martin O'Neill will take charge of the 1,000th match of his managerial career when Stuttgart visit Glasgow.

From Barron's

Mr. Powell, smirking and smug, tells his life story to a visiting priest who drops by his cell for a last conversation.

From The Wall Street Journal

She said she had visited 21 doctors over the years trying to investigate her condition, to no avail.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• call
• call on
• frequent
• hit
• inspect
• play
• see
• stay at
• talk
• tour

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.