/ ˌvɪzɪˈteɪʃn; NAmE / noun
1.
[ U ] ( NAmE ) the right of a parent who is divorced or separated from his or her partner to visit a child who is living with the partner :
She is seeking more liberal visitation with her daughter.
visitation rights
—compare access noun (3)
2.
[ C , U ] visitation (of / from sb/sth) ( formal ) an official visit, especially to check that rules are being obeyed and everything is as it should be
3.
[ C ] visitation (of / from sb/sth) ( formal ) an unexpected appearance of sth, for example a ghost
4.
[ C ] visitation (of sth) ( formal ) a disaster that is believed to be a punishment from God :
a visitation of plague
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French , or from late Latin visitatio(n-) , from the verb visitare go to see, frequentative of visare to view, from videre to see.