Visit

Part of speech: verb, noun

Pronunciation: /ˈvɪzɪt/

Definitions

1. To go to see a person or place for a short period of time, typically for social or professional purposes
2. To go to see someone or a location temporarily, often for reasons related to social interactions or business engagements
3. To travel to a person or a site briefly, frequently for the sake of socializing or conducting work-related matters

Etymology: The most striking thing about "visit" is that it once meant to afflict. Its Latin ancestor "vīsitō" was a frequentative of "vīsō", meaning "behold" or "survey", itself built on "videō", "see". The idea was of repeatedly going to look at something, and that look could be a kindly call or an inspection with punishment in mind. The Old Saxon "wīsōn" and archaic German "weisen" kept that darker sense, meaning both to visit and to afflict. Middle English took the verb from Old French "visiter", and it pushed out the native Old English "sēċan", which meant "to visit" and survives today only in the sense of "seek". The noun came from French "visite", so the verb and noun are doublets of sorts, with the noun arriving from French rather than being formed from the verb.

Synonyms: call, see, stop by, attend, tour

Antonyms: leave, depart, avoid, neglect, shun