veterinarian
Americannoun
-
veterinarians
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of veterinarian
1640–50; < Latin veterīnāri ( us ) veterinary + -an
Explanation
A veterinarian is a doctor for animals. When it’s time for your dog to get his shots, you take him to the veterinarian. A veterinarian is someone who treats, cures, and prevents diseases in animals. If you want to become a veterinarian, start studying hard! Much like a people doctor, a veterinarian must have formal training before practicing — typically 4 years of veterinary medicine coursework after completing an undergraduate degree. The word veterinarian is often shortened to “vet.” You might look at your dog and say, “Time to go to the vet!”
Vocabulary lists containing veterinarian
Power Suffix: -arian
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!
Occupations
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!
Shiloh
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.
See Examples For:
But an insurance policy for your pet doesn’t simply wipe those costs away, noted Quammen, a practicing veterinarian.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
Dr. Kate Blair, a feline veterinarian at the Cat Hospital in Marina Del Rey, said it comes down to knowing your cat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
Rachel Burrow, a veterinarian and lecturer at the University of Liverpool, helped with both Masaya's CT scan and the subsequent operation.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 8, 2026
The birds, in turn, are accustomed to floodlights for the "penguin parade" tourist attraction, as well as being periodically handled by veterinarian scientists for monitoring of their health.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
“There’s no point fretting. We’ve got a bona fide veterinarian here.”
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
"It can help veterinarians recognize similar cases in the future and may help develop genetic tests."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
When horses showed symptoms, Mr. Dugatkin writes, veterinarians and stable hands “did not isolate or quarantine them because they did not believe the disease was spread from one animal to another.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
A team of veterinarians rushed to assist the visibly feeble creature, giving him water before carrying him away on a stretcher.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
As veterinarians seek answers, mate Shadow fuels questions about whether he’s “seeing” another female.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Seabiscuit had indeed been injured, but the veterinarians had been wrong.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
