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Versus

2 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means against, especially in a legal case or sports contest

Where does the word "versus" come from? It comes from Latin versus, adopted directly into English (1440s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
versus
Latin · ancient
"toward, against"
'turned toward', from 'vertere', to turn; later 'against'
2
Stage 2 of 2
versus
English · 1440s
"against"
used in naming law cases, abbreviated 'v.' or 'vs.'
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Read the full story

Versus’s story begins in Latin: versus meant “toward, against.” 'turned toward', from 'vertere', to turn; later 'against'. It reached English by 1440s as versus. Used in naming law cases, abbreviated 'v.' or 'vs.'. Today, versus means against, especially in a legal case or sports contest.