vis-à-vis

See also: vis-a-vis and vis-á-vis

English

WOTD – 14 November 2008

Alternative forms

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French vis-à-vis.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /viːz.ɑːˈviː/, /viːz.æˈviː/
  • (US) IPA(key): /viz.ɑˈvi/, /viz.əˈvi/
  • (Canada) IPA(key): /viz.əˈvi/
  • Audio (US):(file)
    ,
    Audio (US):(file)

Preposition

vis-à-vis

  1. In relation to; compared with.
    Canada's role vis-à-vis the United States' in Afghanistan
    • 2015 July 16, “Small ncRNA Expression-Profiling of Blood from Hemophilia A Patients Identifies miR-1246 as a Potential Regulator of Factor 8 Gene”, in PLOS ONE[1], →DOI:
      We have identified an miR-1246 target site in the noncoding region of F8 mRNA and were able to confirm the suppressory role of hsa-miR-1246 on F8 expression in a stable lymphoblastoid cell line expressing FVIII. These findings suggest several testable hypotheses vis-à-vis the role of nc-RNAs in the regulation of F8 expression.
  2. Opposite; across from; set so as to be facing.
    He was seated vis-à-vis the president.

Translations

Noun

vis-à-vis (plural vis-à-vis)

  1. (historical) A small horse-drawn carriage for two people sitting facing each other.
    • 1761, Laurence Sterne, The Life & Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, volume 3, Penguin, published 2003, page 188:
      there is not a greater difference between a single-horse chair and madam Pompadour’s vis a vis, than betwixt a single amour, and an amour thus nobly doubled
  2. A sofa with seats for two people, so arranged that the occupants are face to face while sitting on opposite sides.
  3. One of two (or more) people facing or opposite each other.
    • 1933, Vera Brittain, Testament of Youth, Penguin, published 2005, page 456:
      But the wrath that I awaited did not descend. Instead, my young vis-à-vis merely looked melancholy.
  4. A date or escort in a social event.
    • 1888, Rudyard Kipling, “The Daughter of the Regiment”, in Plain Tales from the Hills, Folio Society, published 2005, page 136:
      That was what Miss McKenna said, and the Sergeant who was my vis-à-vis looked the same thing.
  5. A person holding a corresponding position in another organisation.
    Synonym: counterpart
    I talked with my vis-à-vis in the French embassy.

Translations

Adjective

vis-à-vis (not comparable)

  1. Face-to-face.
  2. (numismatics, of a coin) Having two portraits facing each other.

Translations

Adverb

vis-à-vis (not comparable)

  1. Face to face (with another).
    • 1883, William Wallace Cook, “Aquastor”, in Overland Monthly[2], page 14:
      [] turning the seat in front so we could sit vis-a-vis
    • 1989 February 12, Ann Allen Shockley, “A Posthumous Letter To Joseph Beam”, in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 30, page 6:
      I never had the opportunity to meet you vis-a-vis, but your correspondence exuded your dedication, your defying spirit, your warmth, and your literary goals.
  2. (archaic) In a position facing a specified or implied subject.

Translations

Further reading

Danish

Adverb

vis-à-vis

  1. alternative spelling of vis-a-vis

French

Etymology

From vis +‎ à +‎ vis, vis m being an obsolete word for face, replaced in Modern French by visage m.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /vi.za.vi/
  • Audio:(file)

Adverb

vis-à-vis

  1. (archaic) Facing, face-to-face
    Synonym: face à face

Noun

vis-à-vis m (plural vis-à-vis)

  1. a meeting, especially a private one
    Synonym: tête-à-tête m
  2. a position where two things face each other
    Les maisons sont en vis-à-vis.
    The houses face each other.
  3. an equivalent
    Synonym: homologue m or f by sense
    • 1886, Auguste de Villiers de L’Isle-Adam, L'Ève future, XVII. Dissection
      Quoi de plus attristant, de plus dissolvant que l’abominable être qu’on nomme une « femme d’esprit », si ce n’est son vis-à-vis, le beau parleur ?
      What is worse, more dissolving than this abomination called the "spiritual woman", if not its equivalent, the "beau parleur"?
  4. (rare) What faces someone or something, such as a view or the person seated in front
  5. (historical) a type of S-shaped couch or sofa that allows people to be seated face-to-face

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Danish: vis-a-vis
  • English: vis-à-vis
  • German: vis-à-vis
  • Swedish: visavi

Further reading

German

Alternative forms

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French vis-à-vis.

Pronunciation

Preposition

vis-à-vis [with dative]

  1. (literary, dated outside Austria and Switzerland)
    Synonym: gegenüber
    • 2002, “Hi Freaks”, in Tocotronic, performed by Tocotronic:
      Hi freaks look at me / Autogramme vis-à-vis / Gegenüber einer Welt / Deren Umriss uns gefällt / Das Geld steht schon bereit / Hast du morgen Zeit
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Further reading

Indonesian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French vis-à-vis.

Pronunciation

Adverb

vis-à-vis

  1. vis-à-vis, face to face
    Synonym: berhadap-hadapan

Preposition

vis-à-vis

  1. vis-à-vis, in relation to
    Synonym: terhadap
  2. about
    Synonym: mengenai

Further reading

Polish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French vis-à-vis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /viˈza.vi/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Rhymes: -avi
  • Syllabification: vis-‧à-‧vis

Preposition

vis-à-vis (+ genitive)

  1. opposite (across from)
    Synonyms: naprzeciw, naprzeciwko

Further reading

  • vis-à-vis in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • vis-à-vis in Polish dictionaries at PWN