vice president

American

[vahys prez-i-duhnt] / ˈvaɪs ˈprɛz ɪ dənt /

Or vice-president

noun

an officer next in rank to a president who serves as president in the president's absence.
an officer next in rank to a president who serves as a deputy to the president or oversees a special division or function.
U.S. Government. the officer of this rank who is elected at the same time as the president and who succeeds to the presidency upon the resignation, removal, death, or disability of the president.

Lincoln's first vice president was Hannibal Hamlin.

vice president British

noun

Abbreviation: VP. V. Pres. an officer ranking immediately below a president and serving as his deputy. A vice president takes the president's place during his absence or incapacity, after his death, and in certain other circumstances

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

Why is the term vice president in the news? On August 11, 2020, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden announced he selected California Senator Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential running mate for the 2020 presidential election.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of vice president

First recorded in 1565–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Oh, and it’s also home to former Vice President Kamala Harris.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

Other critics, including former Vice President Elias Jaua, have denounced Rodríguez’s economic changes and accused a small circle around the acting president of making decisions without consulting the movement’s traditional base.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

Former Vice President Kamala Harris signaled interest in the seat shortly after her bruising 2024 loss to Trump.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

Munir was at the centre of the action during that round of talks, greeting both delegations on their arrival and displaying bonhomie with US Vice President JD Vance.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

When Vice President Dick Cheney, a wealthy man in his own right, attended a 2005 ceremony in Poland to commemorate the liberation of Nazi death camps, he wore a parka.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023