The literal translation of “vis-à-vis” is “face to face.” However, this French phrase also has figurative meanings, such as “with regard to” and “counterpart.” Confused? Read on because, in this article, we’ll discuss the vis-à-vis meaning, including its correct usage.
Related:
- Best Regards Meaning: When to Use & Alternatives
- Vice Versa Meaning: What Is It?
- Mi Amor Meaning: What Does It Mean?
What Is Vis-à-Vis?
When translated, vis-à-vis (pronounced vee-zuh-vee), as mentioned earlier, means “face to face.” It indicates a direct physical interaction or encounter between two (or more) individuals. For instance, “The principal asked to meet with the parents vis-à-vis.”
However, its modern English usage can also imply contrast or comparison (as compared with or as opposed to) and relationship (with regard to or in relation to).
For instance, “The meeting addressed the looming deadline vis-à-vis expenditure.” In this example, vis-à-vis highlights the relationship between the deadline and expenditure.
Vis-à-vis can also mean counterpart. For example, “I’ll have a chat with my vis-à-vis in Europe.”
Vis-à-vis can function as a preposition or a noun.
Fun Fact: The origin of vis-à-vis is from the Old French word “visage,” which means “face” or “portrait.”
Example sentences:
- The government’s policy vis-à-vis climate change has been heavily criticized.
- I wanted to get your opinion vis-à-vis the class assignment.
- The judges talked vis-à-vis the rest of the competitors.
- My thoughts vis-à-vis the project timeline are that we need more time.
- The survey gathered public opinion vis-à-vis the proposed changes in healthcare policy.
- The occupants asked to speak vis-à-vis with the hostess.
- We need to talk about my rank vis-à-vis.
- Last January and February, we already talked about this problem vis-à-vis.
- Make sure to discuss with the parents vis-à-vis before suspending the student.
- Can we have a vis-à-vis meeting?
Synonyms of Vis-à-Vis
If you prefer another word that you don’t have to explain the meaning to the person you are talking with, here are some vis-à-vis synonyms:
- Regarding
- In relation to
- With regard to
- As compared with
- Face to face
- Concerning
- Relating
- Involving
How to Use Vis-à-Vis
As mentioned earlier, vis-à-vis can function as a preposition or a noun. It can also be an adverb, but this usage is less common.
As a Preposition
As a preposition, you can use vis-à-vis to compare or relate two things.
Examples:
- The researcher’s approach vis-à-vis the existing data was groundbreaking.
- The artist’s new work stands out vis-à-vis traditional techniques.
- Her opinion on the matter changed vis-à-vis new evidence presented.
As a Noun
When used as a noun, vis-à-vis often refers to its original French meaning of “face-to-face.”
Examples:
- His vis-à-vis in the discussion was able to provide valuable insights.”
- During the summit, each country vis-à-vis presented their national interests.”
- The school board met with their vis-à-vis from neighboring districts to discuss shared challenges.”
Final Thoughts
As we conclude, let’s remember what we’ve learned. Vis-à-vis is a French term used for counterpart or to compare and relate entities to one another. This phrase can be a preposition or a noun. So, keep the vis-à-vis meaning in mind when you want to link ideas or subjects directly.
