A short written form of the Latin word 'versus', which means 'against'. You put it between two names or two sides that are fighting, playing, or being compared: 'Taiwan vs. Japan', 'Lakers vs. Celtics'. It is a writing word, not a speaking word — when you read it out loud you say the full word, 'versus'. In law it names a court case, and there British and American writers often shorten it to just 'v.' (as in 'Roe v. Wade'). Outside law and sport, people use it for any two-way comparison, even when nothing is really fighting: 'city life vs. country life', 'renting vs. buying'. Younger people also write it in casual chat, sometimes stripped down to just 'vs' with no dot at all, and that is fine in a message but not in a school report. Notice that British writers often leave off the full stop and write 'vs', while American writers tend to keep it: 'vs.'. Both are correct in their own place, so don't let anyone tell you one of them is a mistake.