vice president

American  

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

Or vice-president

noun

• vice presidents
  plural

1. an officer next in rank to a president who serves as president in the president's absence.

2. an officer next in rank to a president who serves as a deputy to the president or oversees a special division or function.

3. 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.

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vice president British  

noun

1. 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

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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

• vice presidency
  noun
• vice-presidency
  noun
• vice presidential
  adjective
• vice-presidential
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• vice presidents
  plural

Etymology

Origin of vice president

First recorded in 1565–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vice president

When national oil companies built the refineries, return on investment was a secondary concern, said Alan Gelder, senior vice president of refining, chemicals and oil markets at the consulting firm Wood Mackenzie.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

This is illustrated by the accompanying chart, courtesy of calculations provided by Wes Crill, a vice president at Dimensional Fund Advisers.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

Former cabinet minister and Labour Party deputy leader Lord Tom Watson has become a senior vice president at US tech firm Palantir.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

In his last role at YouTube, he served as vice president of product management, heading up the company’s music, subscription, commerce and premium efforts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

Mrs. Washington’s regular visitors included Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, the first vice president, who quickly became a close friend.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis