versus

From Latin versus (“against, turned”), past participle of vertere (“to turn, change, overthrow, destroy”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈvɜːsəs/, /ˈvɜːsɪz/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈvɝsəs/, /ˈvɝsəz/, sometimes IPA^(key): /ˈvɝs/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)səs

• Homophone: verses

versus

1. Used to link two or more opposing or contrasting elements.

• vs, vs., v, v.

versus

1. against, in opposition to.

   It is the Packers versus the Steelers in the Super Bowl.

2. compared with, as opposed to.
   • 2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in New York Times‎:

     In polling by the Pew Research Center in November 2008, fully half the respondents thought the two parties would cooperate more in the coming year, versus only 36 percent who thought the climate would grow more adversarial.

   • 2005, Robert E. Weiss, Modeling Longitudinal Data, Springer, →ISBN, page 104:

     If, for example, we select random people entering a workout gym, versus if we pick random people entering a hospital, we will get very different samples.

3. Bringing a legal action against, as used in the title of a court case in which the first party indicates the plaintiff (or appellant or the like), and the second indicates the defendant (or respondent or the like).

   Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kans.

• (especially the non-legal senses): vs, vs. (abbreviation)
• (especially the legal sense): v, v. (abbreviation)

• vertex
• subvert
• invert
• convert
• evert
• verse

versus

1. versus

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈwer.sus/, [ˈwɛr.sʊs]

Perfect passive participle of vertō (“to turn”).

• vorsus

versus m (feminine versa, neuter versum); first/second declension

1. turned, changed, having been turned

First/second declension.

• anniversārius
• contrōversus
• prōrsus/ prōsus
• ūniversus

Adverbial use of versus (“turned”).

• versum
• vorsum
• vorsus

versus (not comparable)

1. towards, turned to or in the direction of, facing

Action noun from vertō + tus.

• vorsus

versus m (genitive versūs); fourth declension

1. a furrow (turned earth)
2. (transf.) a line, row
   1. (partic.) a line of writing, a verse
      • 100 BCE – 44 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 6.14:

        Magnum ibi numerum versuum ediscere dicuntur.

        They are said there to learn by heart a great number of verses.

      Si versus horum duorum poetarum neglegetis, magna parte litterarum carebitis.

      If you neglect the verses of these two poets, you will miss a great part of literature.

3. a land measure (= πλέθρον (pléthron))
4. (dance) a turn, step

Fourth declension.

• versiculus

Perfect passive participle of verrō (“to sweep”).

versus m (feminine versa, neuter versum); first/second declension

1. swept

First/second declension.

• versus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• versus in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• versus in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• versus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to sing the praises of some one (not canere aliquem: alicuius laudes versibus persequi
    
  • to celebrate some one's exploits in song: alicuius res gestas versibus ornare, celebrare
    
  • (ambiguous) in all directions: quoquo versus; in omnes partes
    
  • (ambiguous) to advance in the direction of Rome: Romam versus proficisci
    
  • (ambiguous) to write poetry: versus facere, scribere
    
  • (ambiguous) to write poetry with facility: carmina , versus fundere (De Or. 3. 50)
    
  • (ambiguous) to recite a poem, line with appropriate action: carmen, versum agere
    

versus

1. Alternative spelling of vérsus

• IPA^(key): /ˈbersus/

versus

1. versus

   Esta noche transmitiremos a Alberto del Río versus John Cena en vivo.

   Tonight, we'll be broadcasting Alberto del Rio versus John Cena live.

This word is sometimes frowned upon as an anglicism, with the suggestion that contra or the conjunction y should be used instead.

• “versus” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.