# via

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈvaɪə/ · frequency rank #1,034

## Definitions
1. A main road or highway, especially in ancient Rome. (Mainly used in set phrases, below.)
2. A small hole in a printed circuit board filled with metal which connects two or more layers.
3. An electrical connection which connects two or more layers on a printed circuit board or an integrated circuit.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin via (“road”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-. Possible doublet of way.
The sense in electronics is also explained as vertical interconnect access.

## Easily confused with
- **VR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vr)
- **VP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vp)
- **VW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vw)
- **Vu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vu)
- **VM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vm)
- **vo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vo)
- **VN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vn)
- **VX** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vx)
- **vol** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vol)
- **Vic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vic)
- **VIP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vip)
- **vow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vow)
- **vis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vis)
- **vid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vid)
- **VPN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vpn)
- **vie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vie)
- **vox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vox)
- **Vos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vos)
- **Viv** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-viv)
- **VoD** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/via-vs-vod)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/via