German

Noun

Versus

1. Obsolete spelling of Vers

English

Conjunction

versus

1. Used to link two or more opposing or contrasting elements.

Synonyms

• vs, vs., v, v.

Preposition

versus

1. against, in opposition to.

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

2. compared with, as opposed to.
   • 2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in New York Times:

     In polling by the Pew Research Center in November 2008, fully half the respondents thought the two parties would cooperate more in the coming year, versus only 36 percent who thought the climate would grow more adversarial.

   • 2005, Robert E. Weiss, Modeling Longitudinal Data, Springer, ISBN 978-0-387-40271-0, page 104:

     If, for example, we select random people entering a workout gym, versus if we pick random people entering a hospital, we will get very different samples.

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

   Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kans.

Synonyms

• (especially the non-legal senses): vs, vs. (abbreviation)
• (especially the legal sense): v, v. (abbreviation)

Translations

Related terms

• vertex
• subvert
• invert
• convert
• evert
• verse

Italian

Preposition

versus

1. versus

Latin

Alternative forms

• vorsus

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈwer.sus/, [ˈwɛr.sʊs]

Etymology 1

From the perfect passive participle of vertō ‎(“turn”).

Participle

versus m ‎(feminine versa, neuter versum); first/second declension

1. turned, changed, having been turned.

Descendants

• English: verso versus

Inflection

First/second declension.

Related terms

• adversus
• revertor
• trānsversus
• versiō
• vertō

Adverb

versus ‎(not comparable)

1. towards, turned to or in the direction of, facing

Descendants

• English: versus
• French: vers, versus
• Italian: verso, versus
• Portuguese: verso, versus

Noun

versus m ‎(genitive versūs); fourth declension

1. a furrow (turned earth)
2. a verse, a line
   • 100 BCE – 44 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 6.14

     Magnum ibi numerum versuum ediscere dicuntur.

     They are said there to learn by heart a great number of verses.

   Si versus horum duorum poetarum neglegetis, magna parte litterarum carebitis.‎

   If you neglect the verses of these two poets, you will miss a great part of literature.

3. (dance) a turn, step

Inflection

Fourth declension.

Derived terms

• versiculus

Descendants

Etymology 2

Participle

versus m ‎(feminine versa, neuter versum); first/second declension

1. perfect participle of verrō ‎(“I sweep; I hide”)

Inflection

First/second declension.

References

• versus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• versus in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• VERSUS in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• Félix Gaffiot (1934), “versus”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
• Meissner, Carl; Auden, Henry William (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to sing the praises of some one (not canere aliquem: alicuius laudes versibus persequi
    
  • to celebrate some one's exploits in song: alicuius res gestas versibus ornare, celebrare
    
  • (ambiguous) in all directions: quoquo versus; in omnes partes
    
  • (ambiguous) to advance in the direction of Rome: Romam versus proficisci
    
  • (ambiguous) to write poetry: versus facere, scribere
    
  • (ambiguous) to write poetry with facility: carmina , versus fundere (De Or. 3. 50)
    
  • (ambiguous) to recite a poem, line with appropriate action: carmen, versum agere
    

Portuguese

Preposition

versus

1. Alternative spelling of vérsus

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbeɾ.sus/

Preposition

versus

1. versus

   Esta noche emitiremos a Alberto del Río versus John Cena en vivo. - Tonight, we'll be broadcasting Alberto del Rio vs. John Cena live.

Usage notes

This word is sometimes frowned upon as an anglicism, with the suggestion that contra or the conjunction y should be used instead.