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

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

Travelers can expect to sail past incredible vistas of fjords and towering glaciers, or get their hearts pumping with a requisite polar plunge, diving into the icy waters for the ultimate rush. —Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025

Its easternmost corner, Matarraña, was particularly ideal, with its rugged mountain vistas, balmy climate, and relative ease of access to Barcelona and Valencia, just two-and-a-half- and three-hour drives away, respectively. —Siobhan Reid, Robb Report, 7 Sep. 2025

Aguilar spends most of her weekends manning her wooden, minimalist photo booths – a rustic aesthetic the blends in with Southern California’s hilly vistas – for brides, grooms and all their guests. —Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025

Licht, owner of Sea Trek, a Sausalito kayak and paddle board rental business, turned off the engine and surveyed the shimmery vista. —Steven Rosenfeld, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025

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