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Today it means

vista

a pleasing or expansive view, especially seen from a distance

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Where does the word "vista" come from? It comes from Italian vista, and was adopted directly into English (1670s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "vista" come from? It comes from Italian vista, and was adopted directly into English (1670s).

Vista’s story begins in Italian: vista meant “a view, a sight.” Literally a view, a sight, from vedere (to see). It reached English by 1670s as vista. Italian 'view'; landscaped gardens of the 1700s framed vistas. Today, vista means a pleasing or expansive view, especially seen from a distance.

  1. Stage 1 · Italian · 1600s vista "a view, a sight", literally a view, a sight, from vedere (to see).
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1670s vista "a pleasing or expansive view", Italian 'view'; landscaped gardens of the 1700s framed vistas.

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