Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Vis-a-vis \Vis`-a-vis"\, n. [F., opposite, face to face.]
   1. One who, or that which, is face to face with another;
      esp., one who faces another in dancing.

   2. A carriage in which two persons sit face to face. Also, a
      form of sofa with seats for two persons, so arranged that
      the occupants are face to face while sitting on opposite
      sides.

Vis-a-vis \Vis`-a-vis"\, adv.
   Face to face.

Source : WordNet®

vis-a-vis
     n 1: a person or thing having the same function or
          characteristics as another [syn: {counterpart}, {opposite
          number}]
     2: small sofa that seats two people [syn: {love seat}, {tete-a-tete}]
     adv : face-to-face; face-to-face with; "they sat vis-a-vis at the
           table"; "I found myself vis-a-vis a burly policeman"