Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

visa

/ˈviː.zə/ noun

Latin root: charta Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about visa at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A permit to enter and leave a country, normally issued by the authorities of the country to be visited.
I came on a six-month tourist visa.

verb

To endorse (a passport, etc.).

Origin

From 1831, "official signature or endorsement on a passport," from French visa, from Latin charta vīsa (“paper that has been seen”) from feminine perfect passive of Latin vidēre (“to see”). Compare vision, video, vista.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word