vis-a-vis

• n. 面对面的人；相对着；两人对座的长椅
• prep. 关于；和…面对面；同…相比
• adv. 相向着；相对着

vis-,看，面容，词源同visit,evident。即面对面的。比较hand-to-hand,tete-a-tete.

vis-a-vis (prep.)

1755, from French prepositional use of the adj. vis-à-vis "face to face," from Old French vis "face" (see visage).