vista

¹ American  

[vis-tuh] / ˈvɪs tə /

noun

1. a view or prospect, especially one seen through a long, narrow avenue or passage, as between rows of trees or houses.

2. such an avenue or passage, especially when formally planned.

3. a far-reaching mental view.

   vistas of the future.

   Synonyms:

   vision, outlook, prospect

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Vista ² American  

[vis-tuh] / ˈvɪs tə /

noun

1. a town in SW California.

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VISTA ³ American  

[vis-tuh] / ˈvɪs tə /

noun

1. a national program in the U.S., sponsored by ACTION, for sending volunteers into poor areas to teach various job skills.

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vista ¹ British  

/ ˈvɪstə /

noun

1. a view, esp through a long narrow avenue of trees, buildings, etc, or such a passage or avenue itself; prospect

   a vista of arches

2. a comprehensive mental view of a distant time or a lengthy series of events

   the vista of the future

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VISTA ² British  

/ ˈvɪstə /

acronym

1. Volunteers in Service to America; an organization of volunteers established by the Federal government to assist the poor

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Usage

What does vista mean? A vista is a wide view of a scene, especially a sweeping outdoor scene such as a mountain valley or beach.Traditionally, vista referred to a view seen through a long, narrow passage, such as between two rows of trees or buildings, but this meaning is now less commonly used.Example: The description for this hotel room claims that we’ll have a vista of the mountain at sunrise from our balcony.

Related Words

See view.

Other Word Forms

• vistaed adjective
• vistaless adjective

Etymology

Origin of vista¹

First recorded in 1650–60; from Italian: “a view,” noun use of feminine of visto (past participle of vedere “to see,” from Latin vidēre )

Origin of VISTA³

V(olunteers) i(n) S(ervice) t(o) A(merica)

Example Sentences

The screen is filled with spiffy and colorful imagery: slowly panning Chicago streetscapes seen from above; vast vistas of outer space; pulsating visualizations of communications networks.

From New York Times

On Saturday, they seemed to cling tenaciously to the trees ringing the basin, providing the vista of seemingly inexhaustible pinkness and whiteness that has become a symbol of Washington and spring.

From Washington Post

So, too, did the burgeoning buds on tree branches, that added a kind of haze to distant vistas.

From Washington Post

“It’s almost counterintuitive, but in smaller or medium-size yards, if you create vistas into nooks and carefully block sightlines or entryways, it can make the whole space look larger,” he says.

From Seattle Times

In Tijuana, Friendship Park is Parque de la Amistad, a popular destination for families to take in vistas of the California coast.

From Los Angeles Times