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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
CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Whichever seats the buyer chooses, they're designed to be faced forward or rearward, allowing for vis-a-vis business van configurations that promote meetings and discussion on the move.
—New Atlas, 12 Dec. 2025
CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Whichever seats the buyer chooses, they're designed to be faced forward or rearward, allowing for vis-a-vis business van configurations that promote meetings and discussion on the move.
—New Atlas, 12 Dec. 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 6 Jan. 2026.
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