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versus

[ vur-suhs, -suhz ]
/ ˈvɜr səs, -səz /
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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.Abbreviations: v., vs.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

Origin of versus

First recorded in 1400–50; Late Middle English, from Latin: literally, “towards,” i.e., “turned so as to face (something), opposite, over against,” originally past participle of vertere “to turn”; see verse

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH versus

verse, versus
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use versus in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for versus

versus
/ (ˈvɜːsəs) /

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
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