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veterinary

American  
[vet-er-uh-ner-ee, ve-truh-] / ˈvɛt ər əˌnɛr i, ˈvɛ trə- /

noun

  • veterinaries
    plural
  1. a veterinarian.


adjective

  1. of or relating to the medical and surgical treatment of animals, especially domesticated animals.

veterinary British  
/ ˈvɛtrɪnrɪ, ˈvɛtərɪnərɪ /

adjective

  1. of or relating to veterinary medicine

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of veterinary

1780–90; < Latin veterīnārius, equivalent to veterīn ( ae ) beasts of burden (noun use of feminine plural of veterīnus pertaining to such beasts, equivalent to veter-, stem of vetus old, i.e., grown, able to take a load + -īnus -ine 1 ) + -ārius -ary

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.

See Examples For:

Over the past three years, we’ve depleted a significant portion of our cash reserves due to a new roof, various home repairs, two used cars and some unexpected veterinary bills.

From MarketWatch Aug. 13, 2026

You have installed a new roof for your home, carried out home repairs, paid for two automobiles and nasty veterinary bills.

From MarketWatch Aug. 13, 2026

“While pathology is underway to better understand her illness, veterinary teams do not believe her condition was connected to that earlier loss.”

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 8, 2026

The report also recommended a review of the relationship between the industry and UK and international veterinary medicine regulators, and for the pet health industry to fund further research on the environmental impact of treatments.

From BBC Aug. 5, 2026

But when the veterinary came, he only shook his head.

From "Mr. Popper's Penguins" by Florence Atwater and Richard Atwater

Under the new bill, druggists may not sell liquor; physicians, dentists, veterinaries and ministers of the gospel may obtain special permits to buy.

From Time Magazine Archive

Igloo, 6, fox terrier, pet and mascot of Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd on polar expeditions; of indigestion; in Boston, Mass., after three veterinaries had sought to save his life.

From Time Magazine Archive

The crossing watchmen must keep their little shacks trim and orderly, the engineers must carry repair kits and act as veterinaries for minor ailments of their Iron Horses.

From Time Magazine Archive

With the coming of the motor the race of coachmen, grooms and veterinaries began to perish from the earth.

From By Advice of Counsel by Arthur Cheney Train

Twenty-one physicians, nineteen surgeons, and the leading veterinaries succumbed to the influence of the magic tractors.

From Psychotherapy by James J. (James Joseph) Walsh

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