Synonyms

VIP

American

[vee-ahy-pee] / ˈviˈaɪˈpi /

Or V.I.P.

Informal.

very important person.

VIP British

abbreviation

very important person
visually impaired person
vasoactive intestinal peptide: a polypeptide secreted by the small intestine during digestion and also found in the brain as a neurotransmitter: large amounts in the blood cause diarrhoea

"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

VIP Cultural

An abbreviation for “V ery I mportant P erson”: “The luncheon will be exclusive, with VIPs only.”

Usage

What does VIP mean? VIP (or V. I. P.) is an abbreviation of very important person. VIP is an informal way to refer to someone who is notable in some way and is given special treatment in a particular setting. It is also used to describe things involving special access for such people, as in phrases like VIP treatment or VIP pass. The plural of VIP is VIPs. Example: The hotel provides additional security for the rooms reserved by VIPs like heads of state.

Etymology

Origin of VIP

First recorded in 1940–45

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023