Standard Lemma guide

vis-à-vis

adj · adv · noun · prep · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /viːz.ɑːˈviː/
  • UK: /viːz.æˈviː/
  • US: /viz.ɑˈvi/
  • US: /viz.əˈvi/
  • Canada: /viz.əˈvi/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Face-to-face.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Having two portraits facing each other.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, numismatics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

Face to face (with another).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adv

Meaning 4

In a position facing a specified or implied subject.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A small horse-drawn carriage for two people sitting facing each other.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A sofa with seats for two people, so arranged that the occupants are face to face while sitting on opposite sides.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

One of two (or more) people facing or opposite each other.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A date or escort in a social event.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A person holding a corresponding position in another organisation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I talked with my vis-à-vis in the French embassy.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: counterpart

Antonyms: none provided

10

prep

Meaning 10

In relation to; compared with.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Canada's role vis-à-vis the United States' in Afghanistan

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

prep

Meaning 11

Opposite; across from; set so as to be facing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He was seated vis-à-vis the president.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French vis-à-vis.

Across languages

Translations

88 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: лице в лице — face to face
  • Catalan: en relació a — face to face
  • Finnish: kasvokkain — face to face
  • Finnish: vastatusten — face to face
  • Finnish: vastakkain — face to face
  • German: im Vergleich zu — face to face
  • German: gegenüber — face to face
  • Italian: in relazione a — face to face
  • Korean: ~에 관하여 (-e gwanhayeo) — face to face
  • Portuguese: face a face — face to face
  • Portuguese: cara a cara — face to face
  • Russian: друг про́тив дру́га (drug prótiv drúga) — face to face
  • Serbo-Croatian: licem u lice — face to face
  • Serbo-Croatian: u usporedbi s — face to face
  • Turkish: bire bir, doğrudan doğruya — face to face
  • French: vis-à-vis — carriage for two
  • Russian: двуко́лка (dvukólka) — carriage for two
  • Russian: визави́ (vizaví) — carriage for two
  • Finnish: pari — person facing another
  • Finnish: tanssipari — person facing another
  • Finnish: pöytäpari — person facing another
  • French: vis-à-vis — person facing another
  • Russian: партнёр (partnjór) — person facing another
  • Russian: партнёрша (partnjórša) — person facing another
  • Russian: визави́ (vizaví) — person facing another
  • Finnish: seuralainen — date
  • Portuguese: acompanhante — date
  • Russian: ухажёр (uxažór) — date
  • Russian: кавале́р (kavalér) — date
  • Arabic: فِي مُوَاجَهَة (fī muwājaha) — in relation to
  • Bulgarian: спрямо (sprjamo) — in relation to
  • Bulgarian: в сравнение с (v sravnenie s) — in relation to
  • Bulgarian: по отношение на (po otnošenie na) — in relation to
  • Czech: vůči — in relation to
  • Danish: sammenlignet med — in relation to
  • Finnish: verrattuna — in relation to
  • Finnish: suhteessa — in relation to
  • French: vis-à-vis — in relation to
  • German: gegenüber — in relation to
  • German: verglichen mit — in relation to
  • German: im Vergleich zu — in relation to
  • German: im Verhältnis zu — in relation to
  • Hungarian: viszonylatban — in relation to
  • Hungarian: vonatkozásában — in relation to
  • Hungarian: vonatkozóan — in relation to
  • Hungarian: vonatkozólag — in relation to
  • Hungarian: illetően — in relation to
  • Hungarian: kapcsolatban — in relation to
  • Hungarian: képest — in relation to
  • Italian: in base a — in relation to
  • Malay: vis-a-vis — in relation to
  • Norwegian Bokmål: vis-à-vis — in relation to
  • Norwegian Bokmål: sammenlignet med — in relation to
  • Portuguese: frente a — in relation to
  • Portuguese: defronte — in relation to
  • Russian: по отноше́нию к (po otnošéniju k) — in relation to
  • Russian: в отноше́нии (v otnošénii) — in relation to
  • Russian: визави́ (vizaví) — in relation to
  • Spanish: con respecto a — in relation to
  • Spanish: en relación a — in relation to
  • Swedish: visavi — in relation to
  • Arabic: فِي مُوَاجَهَة (fī muwājaha) — opposite
  • Bulgarian: насреща (nasrešta) — opposite
  • Bulgarian: отсреща (otsrešta) — opposite
  • Czech: naproti — opposite
  • Danish: overfor — opposite
  • Danish: modsat — opposite
  • Dutch: tegenover — opposite
  • Finnish: vastapäätä — opposite
  • French: vis-à-vis — opposite
  • German: gegenüber — opposite
  • German: vis-à-vis — opposite
  • German: auf der gegenüberliegenden Seite — opposite
  • Hungarian: szemben — opposite
  • Hungarian: szemközt — opposite
  • Hungarian: átellenben — opposite
  • Malay: vis-a-vis — opposite
  • Norwegian Bokmål: vis-à-vis — opposite
  • Norwegian Bokmål: overfor — opposite
  • Norwegian Bokmål: rett imot — opposite
  • Polish: naprzeciw — opposite
  • Polish: naprzeciwko — opposite
  • Polish: vis-à-vis — opposite
  • Portuguese: face a face — opposite
  • Portuguese: cara a cara — opposite
  • Russian: напро́тив (naprótiv) — opposite
  • Russian: насу́против (nasúprotiv) — opposite
  • Russian: визави́ (vizaví) — opposite