visa

[vee-zuh]

noun

plural

visas 

1. an endorsement issued by an authorized representative of a country and marked in a passport, permitting the passport holder to enter, travel through, or reside in that country for a specified amount of time, for the purpose of tourism, education, employment, etc.

verb (used with object)

visaed, visaing 

1. to give a visa to; approve a visa for.

2. to put a visa on (a passport).

visa

/ ˈviːzə /

noun

1. an endorsement in a passport or similar document, signifying that the document is in order and permitting its bearer to travel into or through the country of the government issuing it

2. any sign or signature of approval

verb

1. to enter a visa into (a passport)

2. to endorse or ratify

Word History and Origins

Origin of visa¹

1830–40; < French, short for Latin carta vīsa “the document (has been) seen”; vīsa, feminine past participle of vidēre “to see, look at”

Word History and Origins

Origin of visa¹

C19: via French from Latin vīsa things seen, from vīsus, past participle of vidēre to see

Example Sentences

Many of the LG employees arrested were on business trips with various visas or under a visa waiver programme, officials say.

From BBC

Many of the car workers arrested in a huge US workplace immigration raid had violated their visitor visas, officials say.

From BBC

That visa application is currently under review and they remain stuck, currently unable to make a claim in Canada and facing deportation from the US.

From BBC

Israel in turn revoked the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority, the internationally-backed governing body of the Palestinians, which is based in the West Bank.

From BBC

Tens of thousands of foreign students are being contacted directly by the government and told they will be removed from the UK if they overstay their visas.

From BBC

Related Words

• acceptance 
• admission 
• affirmation 
• approval 
• authorization 
• consent 
• corroboration 
• endorsement 
• evidence 
• green light 
• passage 
• recognition 
• testimony 
• verification