vice president

American  

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

Or vice-president

noun

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

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

Etymology

Origin of vice president

First recorded in 1565–75

Example Sentences

Matthew Holmes, executive vice president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement that he hoped the two governments would "come to a better understanding quickly that can alleviate further concerns for businesses."

From Barron's

Because the former One Direction star excels at lying low, “when he arrives, it is an event,” said Mark Adams, vice president of contemporary hit radio programming for iHeartMedia.

From The Wall Street Journal

The vice president stood at the White House podium and declared that the agent who shot her, Jonathan Ross, was protected by absolute immunity.

From Salon

Mr. Youngkin’s comment about Mr. Vance more or less obliges him not to vituperate the vice president in the usual way of presidential primaries.

From The Wall Street Journal

Beth Galetti, senior vice president of people experience and technology at Amazon, had blogged that the company needed fewer layers and more ownership “to move as quickly as possible for our customers and business.”

From MarketWatch