versus
- against (used especially to indicate an action brought by one party against another in a court of law, or to denote competing teams or players in a sports contest): Smith versus Jones; Army versus Navy.
- as compared to or as one of two choices; in contrast with: traveling by plane versus traveling by train. Abbreviation: v., vs.
Origin of versus
Examples from the Web for versus
Contemporary Examples
“Cultures” Versus “White Girls” As you can probably sense from my scare quotes, you can never be too careful these days.
Solange Smacks Jay Z, Legolas Slaps Bieber, and the Biggest Celebrity Feuds of the YearAmy Zimmerman
December 24, 2014
One of the more interesting splits in the book is the difference between your time at Manchester United versus at Everton.
A truly cautionary tale of a 77-year-old versus the Internet.
The pageant did achieve the dubious honor of becoming a masterful example of "show" versus "tell."
The question remains, however, is how many of Obama's clothes are actually paid for versus gifted.
Who Pays For Michelle Obama's Clothing?; Scout Willis Speaks Out Regarding Topless PhotosThe Fashion Beast Team
June 2, 2014
Historical Examples
Inconsistent usage of American versus British spelling has also been retained.
The Slave of SilenceFred M. White
Let me now state the case: Shell versus Diehl and Hottenstein.
The Recollections of A Drummer-BoyHarry M. Kieffer
Considered as regions, Florida versus New Mexico, the latter should be the older.
The Sunset TrailAlfred Henry Lewis
And ther sayde oones a clerk in two versus, What is better than gold?
The English NovelSidney Lanier
I assure you we've got beyond the Realism versus Romance stage of disputation.
Cape of StormsPercival Pollard
versus
- (esp in a competition or lawsuit) against; in opposition toAbbreviation: v, (esp US) vs
- as opposed to; in contrast with
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for versus
prep.
mid-15c., in legal case names, denoting action of one party against another, from Latin versus "turned toward or against," from past participle of vertere (frequentative versare) "to turn," from PIE *wert- "to turn, wind," from root *wer- (3) "to turn, bend" (cf. Old English -weard "toward," originally "turned toward," weorthan "to befall," wyrd "fate, destiny," literally "what befalls one;" Sanskrit vartate "turns round, rolls;" Avestan varet- "to turn;" Old Church Slavonic vruteti "to turn, roll," Russian vreteno "spindle, distaff;" Lithuanian verciu "to turn;" Greek rhatane "stirrer, ladle;" German werden, Old English weorðan "to become" (for sense, cf. turn into); Welsh gwerthyd "spindle, distaff;" Old Irish frith "against").