vista

1 of 2

noun

vis·​ta ˈvi-stə 

1

: a distant view through or along an avenue or opening : prospect

2

: an extensive mental view (as over a stretch of time or a series of events)

VISTA

2 of 2

abbreviation

Volunteers in Service to America

Did you know?

Vista is generally used today for broad sweeping views of the kind you might see from a mountaintop. But the word originally meant an avenue-like view, narrowed by a line of trees on either side. And vista has also long been used (like view and outlook) to mean a mental scan of the future—as if you were riding down a long grand avenue and what you could see a mile or so ahead of you was where you'd be in the very near future.

Synonyms of vista

Noun

• view
• panorama

Examples of vista in a Sentence

Noun

a gorgeous vista of the mountains from the front window

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The 185-acre grounds of Rocky Knob Mountain Bike Park contain five main trails of various lengths and difficulty levels, plus four separate skills areas, not to mention gorgeous vistas. — Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 25 July 2026

The Gaylord Texan Resort on Lake Grapevine offers 1,814 luxury guest rooms, and four-and-a-half acres of Texas vistas under signature atriums. — Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026

Throughout the photo carousel, Markle shared several outtakes from their family vacation, including beautiful vistas and a few other memorable stops. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 23 July 2026

From coast to coast, the United States is dotted with sweeping coastal vistas, sparkling lakes, verdant national parks, towering mountains, majestic mesas and countless scenic roads that connect east to west and north to south. — Rebecca R. Norris, USA Today, 22 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Italian, sight, from visto, past participle of vedere to see, from Latin vidēre — more at wit

First Known Use

Noun

1644, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for vista

• crista
• arista
• artiste
• batiste
• sandinista

Kids Definition

vista

noun

vis·​ta ˈvis-tə 

1

: a distant view through an opening or along an avenue : prospect

2

: a mental view over a long period of time

Geographical Definition

Vista

geographical name

Vis·​ta ˈvi-stə 

city in southwestern California north of San Diego population 93,834