Very important person
Person with privileges due to their status
A very important person (VIP or V.I.P.) or personage is a person who is accorded special privileges due to their high social rank, status, influence, or importance. The term was not common until sometime after World War II when it was popularised by Royal Air Force pilots.
Examples include celebrities, heads of state or government, other high-ranking politicians, religious leaders, high-net-worth individuals, or any other socially notable person who receives special treatment for any reason. The special treatment usually involves separation from common people, and a higher level of comfort or service.
01Commerce
In some cases, such as with tickets, VIP may be used as a title in a similar way to premium or exclusive. Usually in airports, VIP tickets can be purchased by anyone, but still meaning separation from other customers, own security checks etc.
VIP airport terminals may be used by foreign ministers, ambassadors or high-ranking government personalities, provided that they are officially invited by the receiving country's government.
02VVIP
Sometimes, the term very very important person (VVIP or V.V.I.P.) is also used, especially with reference to VIPs with very high socioeconomic rank or purchasing power. It is used especially when anyone can buy VIP treatment, to distinguish people with especially high requirements. V.V.V.I.P. (or VVVIP) can denote even another, higher level of exclusivity.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Very important person”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- VIP Terminal at Vienna International Airport.jpg by Max Hrusa, CC BY-SA 3.0
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