visit

American  

[viz-it] / ˈvɪz ɪt /

verb (used with object)

1. to go to and stay with (a person or family) or at (a place) for a short time for reasons of sociability, politeness, business, curiosity, etc..

   to visit a friend; to visit clients; to visit Paris.

2. to stay with as a guest.

3. to come or go to.

   to visit a church for prayer.

4. to go to for the purpose of official inspection or examination.

   a general visiting his troops.

5. to come to in order to comfort or aid.

   to visit the sick.

6. to come upon; assail; afflict.

   The plague visited London in 1665.

7. to cause trouble, suffering, etc., to come to.

   to visit him with sorrows.

8. to access, as a website.

9. to inflict, as punishment, vengeance, etc. (often followed by on orupon ).

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verb (used without object)

1. to make a visit.

2. to talk or chat casually.

   to visit on the phone with a friend.

3. to inflict punishment.

noun

1. the act of or an instance of visiting.

   a nice, long visit.

2. a chat or talk.

   We had a good visit on the way back from the grocery store.

3. a call paid to a person, family, etc.

4. a stay or sojourn as a guest.

5. an official inspection or examination.

6. the act of an officer of a belligerent nation in boarding a vessel in order to ascertain the nature of its cargo, its nationality, etc..

   the right of visit and search.

visit British  

/ ˈvɪzɪt /

verb

1. to go or come to see (a person, place, etc)

2. to stay with (someone) as a guest

3. to go or come to (an institution, place, etc) for the purpose of inspecting or examining

4. (tr) (of a disease, disaster, etc) to assail; afflict

5. (tr; foll by upon or on) to inflict (punishment, etc)

   the judge visited his full anger upon the defendant

6. archaic to afflict or plague (with punishment, etc)

7. informal (often foll by with) to chat or converse (with someone)

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noun

1. the act or an instance of visiting

2. a stay as a guest

3. a professional or official call

4. a formal call for the purpose of inspection or examination

5. international law the right of an officer of a belligerent state to stop and search neutral ships in war to verify their nationality and ascertain whether they carry contraband

   the right of visit and search

6. informal a friendly talk or chat

visit Idioms  

1. see pay a call (visit).

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Other Word Forms

• intervisit verb (used without object)
• nonvisiting adjective
• previsit noun
• revisit verb
• unvisited adjective
• unvisiting adjective
• visitable adjective

Etymology

Origin of visit

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English visiten (verb), from Old French visiter, from Latin vīsitāre “to see repeatedly,” from vīsere “to go to see,” from vidēre “to see”; noun derivative of the verb

Example Sentences

Rwanda’s withdrawal threats came as top Mozambican officials visited Brussels to seek continued EU funding for counterinsurgency efforts.

From The Wall Street Journal

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who visited troops in the Middle East over the weekend, said the U.S. military took steps to fortify and disperse forces at its bases in the region before strikes began.

From The Wall Street Journal

So far Ms. Takaichi is standing firm, and Mr. Furuya has shrugged off sanctions by saying he didn’t plan to visit China anyway.

From The Wall Street Journal

The president's visit came after London announced the resumption of diplomatic relations with Syria in July 2025.

From Barron's

Mr. Edwards made the first of many trips to Africa in 1970, visiting Togo, Ghana, and Nigeria.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• call
• call on
• frequent
• hit
• inspect
• play
• see
• stay at
• talk
• tour