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

Santorini offers much more than the vistas made famous on postcards. — Rick Steves, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026

Insider tip Head to the poolside rooftop bar on Level 8 at sundown for cocktails and sweeping vistas across the city toward the Hollywood Hills. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026

Multiple terraces across the home afford uninterrupted vistas of the landscaped acreage below and the surrounding evergreens and mountain peaks. — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2026

From afar in the haze of the desert sun, the columns almost look like narrow, distorted people, aliens standing in a distant vista. — Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Oct. 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