vis-à-vis
/viːz.ɑːˈviː/
"vis-a-vis" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“vis-à-vis” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a preposition - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 9
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In relation to; compared with.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | vis-à-vis |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Preposition |
| IPA | /viːz.ɑːˈviː/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “vis-à-vis” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for vis-à-vis is 9 letters long, classified as a preposition, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /viːz.ɑːˈviː/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Zero misspellings are on record for vis-à-vis in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: Unadapted borrowing from French vis-à-vis. The correct English form is vis-à-vis, spelled V-I-S---À---V-I-S.
Definition
- 1In relation to; compared with.
- 2Opposite; across from; set so as to be facing.
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from French vis-à-vis.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "vis-à-vis"?
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Using “vis-à-vis”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is V-I-S---À---V-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /viːz.ɑːˈviː/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.