veterinary

[vet-er-uh-ner-ee, ve-truh-]

noun

plural

veterinaries 

1. a veterinarian.

adjective

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

veterinary

/ ˈvɛtrɪnrɪ, ˈvɛtərɪnərɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to veterinary medicine

Other Word Forms

• nonveterinary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of veterinary¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of veterinary¹

C18: from Latin veterīnārius concerning draught animals, from veterīnae draught animals; related to vetus mature (hence able to bear a burden)

Example Sentences

Mr Coleman said the regulatory system was set up in 1966, "when the world of veterinary services was very different to the world that we have today."

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He says his family's veterinary pharmaceutical company gave him the expertise to start making a product beneficial for pets.

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The Whale and Dolphin Conservation, an animal welfare organisation, also wrote to Ford asking him to commission independent veterinary assessments of each whale so "that every individual receives a humane and compassionate outcome".

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The dog was rushed to a veterinary hospital but did not survive, police said.

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The research team, led by veterinary scientists at the University of Surrey and the APHA, developed the new vaccine using a tried and tested "scaffold".

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