veteran

American  

[vet-er-uhn, ve-truhn] / ˈvɛt ər ən, ˈvɛ trən /

noun

• veterans
  plural

1. 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.

2. a person who has served in a military force, especially one who has fought in a war.

   a Vietnam veteran.

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adjective

1. (of soldiers) having had service or experience in warfare.

   veteran troops.

2. experienced through long service or practice; having served for a long period.

   a veteran member of Congress.

3. of, relating to, or characteristic of veterans.

veteran British  

/ ˈvɛtrən, ˈvɛtərən /

noun

1. 1. a person or thing that has given long service in some capacity

   2. ( as modifier )

      veteran firemen

2. 1. a soldier who has seen considerable active service

   2. ( as modifier )

      veteran soldier

3. a person who has served in the military forces

4. See veteran car

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonveteran
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• veterans
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of veteran

First recorded in 1495–1505; from Latin veterānus “mature, experienced,” from veter- (stem of vetus ) “old” + -ānus -an

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

veteran veterans

“Laguna Beach” may be the first thing that comes to mind when some think of Kristin Cavallari, but the reality TV veteran has called Nashville home for nearly a decade.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

“This is a special group,” veteran third baseman Max Muncy said Thursday night in a solemn clubhouse.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

But hires such as Sühlmann, who succeeded veteran designer Michael Mauer in what the company called a “generational change,” have been the exception in Leiters’s tenure, which has been marked by deep cuts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Pishko explains the story of Aaron Spencer, a 38-year-old Army veteran who was nearly put on trial for murdering a man but is now running for local sheriff.

From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026

Thomas Jones was a Confederate Secret Service veteran who had spent his entire life trailblazing through the fields, thickets, and forests of rural Maryland and navigating its streams, marshes, and rivers.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson

However, some Hollywood veterans point out that the industry has fought over technology before.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

A statutory review of the measures for veterans to ensure they "deliver as intended"

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Spending on veterans is another 1% of GDP.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

On its website, it says it welcomes "above all" veterans of the Ukraine war and their families, as well as students and schoolchildren.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

A lot of veterans were seen sobbing on the Welch streets as it went by.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

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Related Words

• old-time
• skilled
• trained

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