Against or in opposition to; used to indicate conflict, competition, or contrast between two entities. Often abbreviated as 'vs.' or 'v.'
Directly from Latin 'versus' meaning 'turned toward' or 'against', the past participle of 'vertere' (to turn). Entered English in legal contexts in the 15th century, later expanding to sports and general opposition.
The word literally means 'turned toward' - like two fighters facing each other! This spatial metaphor for opposition is so fundamental that we use 'vs.' in everything from legal cases to sports matches to product comparisons.
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