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

While Florida doesn’t offer the mountaintop vistas and waterfalls found in other states, there are so many trails on land and water worth exploring, with myriad flora and fauna to encounter along the way. — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2026

Spanning 290 miles between Bergen and Oslo in Norway, the railway, built in 1909, travels through 182 tunnels and provides breathtaking views ranging from calm Fjords in the mountains to snowy vistas in Finse. — Rachel Labonte, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026

One of the firm’s latest projects capitalizes on its ridgeline placement high above Bel Air, with staggering landscape vistas matched by its ultramodern design. — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2026

This area is famous for its waterfalls and vistas, including High Knob, a lookout with visibility spanning 20 miles on a clear day. — Kristin Granero, Travel + Leisure, 27 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