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

• command
• lookout
• outlook
• panorama
• perspective
• prospect
• view

Examples of vista in a Sentence

Noun

a gorgeous vista of the mountains from the front window

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Factors like this make North Cascades National Park underrated, providing people looking for beautiful vistas without crowds the perfect destination. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2024

However, panoramic vistas alone do not make for a great hotel, but thankfully SO/ Paris has more going for it than just breathtaking views. —Vogue, 8 July 2024

This is best exemplified on the owner’s aft deck, which features a rotating sofa that can spin 360 degrees to capture the best vistas. —Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 4 July 2024

Subplots that never connect play out amid sweeping vistas and a constantly bombastic soundtrack, as though someone ran John Ford and Sergio Leone through ChatGPT and got an enthusiastic community theater troupe to fully commit to the bit. —Aja Romano, Vox, 29 June 2024

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

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