Versus meaning

vûr'səs, -səz
In conflict or competition with; against.

The plaintiff versus the defendant; Michigan versus Ohio State.

preposition
2
0
Versus is defined as in contrast to or opposing.

An example of versus used as a preposition is in the phrase "the red team versus the blue team."

preposition
1
0
As the alternative to or in contrast with.
preposition
1
0
In contest against.

Plaintiff versus defendant.

preposition
1
0
In contrast with; by way of an alternative to.

Peace versus war.

preposition
1
0
Advertisement
Used to link two or more opposing or contrasting elements.
conjunction
0
0

It is the Packers versus the Steelers in the Super Bowl.

preposition
0
0
Compared with, as opposed to.
preposition
0
0
Bringing a legal action against, as used in the title of a court case in which the first party indicates the plaintiff (appellant or the like), and the second indicates the defendant (respondent or the like).

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kans.

preposition
0
0

Origin of versus

  • Middle English from Medieval Latin from Latin turned, toward from past participle of vertere to turn wer-2 in Indo-European roots
    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
  • From Latin versus (“against, turned”), past participle of vertere (“to turn, change, overthrow, destroy”).
    From Wiktionary

Versus Sentence Examples

  • Sudden versus Gradual Evolution of Parts.

  • The date of these additions, and of the Versus, is of no importance, as their statements are incredible.

  • Lucy, The Molly Maguires of Pennsylvania; (London, n.d.); The Commonwealth versus John Kehoe et al.

  • First there is a medical usage - empirical versus dogmatic medicine.

  • 1884, Man versus the State.

More sentences →

Related articles

Also Mentioned In

Words near versus in the Dictionary