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

This is where the concrete jungle meets the actual jungle, where every hike rewards with Instagram-worthy vistas and beaches recalling Caribbean-style island time. —Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026

Whatever the reason, there's no denying the dramatic drive—part of the San Juan Skyway, a Colorado Scenic Byway—offers priceless mountain vistas. —Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2026

Two murals will be installed on the basketball and futsal courts at Cheatom Park, which is located just north of Interstate 235 and provides a vista of the downtown Des Moines skyline. —Kate Kealey, Des Moines Register, 19 Feb. 2026

But its scenic vistas belie its severe demographic crisis, with farmers aging and a lack of major economic opportunities sending young people to the big cities like Tokyo. —Jeff Kingston, Time, 15 Feb. 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