versus

[vur-suh s, -suh z]

See more synonyms for versus on Thesaurus.com

preposition

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

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin: towards, i.e., turned so as to face (something), opposite, over against, orig. past participle of vertere to turn; see verse

Can be confusedverses versus

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for versus

alternative, contrast, vs

Examples from the Web for versus

Contemporary Examples of versus

“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 Year
Amy 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.
Tim Howard’s Wall of Intensity
William O’Connor
December 22, 2014
A truly cautionary tale of a 77-year-old versus the Internet.
The Bill Cosby Controversy Stages of Grief
Amy Zimmerman
November 18, 2014
The pageant did achieve the dubious honor of becoming a masterful example of "show" versus "tell."
The Real Housewives of Miss America
Kate Shindle
September 21, 2014
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 Photos
The Fashion Beast Team
June 2, 2014

Historical Examples of versus

Inconsistent usage of American versus British spelling has also been retained.
The Slave of Silence
Fred M. White
Let me now state the case: Shell versus Diehl and Hottenstein.
The Recollections of A Drummer-Boy
Harry M. Kieffer
Considered as regions, Florida versus New Mexico, the latter should be the older.
The Sunset Trail
Alfred Henry Lewis
And ther sayde oones a clerk in two versus, What is better than gold?
The English Novel
Sidney Lanier
I assure you we've got beyond the Realism versus Romance stage of disputation.
Cape of Storms
Percival Pollard

British Dictionary definitions for versus

versus

preposition

(esp in a competition or lawsuit) against; in opposition toAbbreviation: v, (esp US) vs
as opposed to; in contrast with

Word Origin for versus

C15: from Latin: turned (in the direction of), opposite, from vertere to turn

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

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").