VIP

Or V.I.P.

[vee-ahy-pee]

Informal.

1. very important person.

VIP

abbreviation

1. very important person

2. visually impaired person

3. vasoactive intestinal peptide: a polypeptide secreted by the small intestine during digestion and also found in the brain as a neurotransmitter: large amounts in the blood cause diarrhoea

VIP

1. An abbreviation for “V ery I mportant P erson”: “The luncheon will be exclusive, with VIPs only.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of VIP¹

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

The VIP tickets provided Lou a way to get Chinese nationals into the event, they said.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Mark Epstein is paying $3,300 this year to his doctor’s office to be treated more like a VIP than a patient.

Read more on Barron's

Baroness Mone, a Conservative peer at the time, used her contacts to enter the company into the "VIP lane" to get preferential access to government contracts.

Read more on BBC

To lend a bit of grit to the proceedings, the original bar was put on display and Kristal’s office was assembled in the VIP area.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Mone - who recommended the company to the government through the "VIP lane" - initially denied being linked to the firm, but admitted to the BBC in 2023 that she had lied about not being involved.

Read more on BBC

When To Use

What does VIP mean?

VIP (or V.I.P.) is an abbreviation of very important person.VIP is an informal way to refer to someone who is notable in some way and is given special treatment in a particular setting. It is also used to describe things involving special access for such people, as in phrases like VIP treatment or VIP pass. The plural of VIP is VIPs.Example: The hotel provides additional security for the rooms reserved by VIPs like heads of state.