veteran
Americannoun
-
a person who has had long service or experience in an occupation, office, or the like.
a veteran of the police force; a veteran of many sports competitions.
-
a person who has served in a military force, especially one who has fought in a war.
a Vietnam veteran.
adjective
-
(of soldiers) having had service or experience in warfare.
veteran troops.
-
experienced through long service or practice; having served for a long period.
a veteran member of Congress.
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of veterans.
noun
-
-
a person or thing that has given long service in some capacity
-
( as modifier )
veteran firemen
-
-
-
a soldier who has seen considerable active service
-
( as modifier )
veteran soldier
-
-
a person who has served in the military forces
-
See veteran car
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of veteran
First recorded in 1495–1505; from Latin veterānus “mature, experienced,” from veter- (stem of vetus ) “old” + -ānus -an
Explanation
Veteran commonly refers to someone who has fought in a war––think Veterans' Day, the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial––but, in fact, the word can mean anyone with experience in a particular field. Many veterans of World War II went to college afterward, through the G.I. Bill, and pursued professional careers. At the end of those careers, it was not unusual to find among the ranks of veteran teachers or veteran attorneys or veteran doctors men who were also veterans of the war.
Vocabulary lists containing veteran
Veterans Day Vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
November Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Memorial Day: Words of Respect and Remembrance
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Slaven said the VA “is building up crucial infrastructure required to handle an increased veteran population.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
"If you electrify and you increase coal, then what are you doing?" veteran COP observer and E3G analyst Alden Meyer told AFP in Bonn.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
Jim Ross, a veteran California political consultant who didn’t work for either side of the proposal, said Lurie’s opposition made the measure a tough sell to voters given the mayor’s consistently high approval ratings.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
On this week’s Amicus podcast, Dahlia Lithwick interviewed veteran federal prosecutor and MS NOW legal analyst Andrew Weissmann.
From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026
The rabbit, a powerful, heavy veteran by the name of Thunder, joined them, stumbling.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
