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
Kamran Bokhari, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
The second pivots that bench around to a longitudinal position against the driver's sidewall, creating a vis-a-vis dining lounge in partnership with the passenger-side bench across the way.
—New Atlas, 15 July 2025
This likely helps explain the China's tough stance vis-a-vis US tariffs.
—Brendan Ahern, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
During the day, the bed cushions reposition into a pair of vis-a-vis sofa benches.
—New Atlas, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share