veteran

noun

vet·​er·​an ˈve-tə-rən 

ˈve-trən

1

a

: a former member of the armed forces

b

: an old soldier of long service

2

: a person of long experience usually in some occupation or skill (such as politics or the arts)

veteran adjective

Synonyms of veteran

• vet
• expert
• professional
• master
• warhorse

Examples of veteran in a Sentence

a veteran of the political scene

He's a 10-year veteran with the team.

Recent Examples on the Web

The veteran sharpshooter finished the game with a game-high 31 points. —Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2025

Apollo 1 was scheduled to carry veteran NASA astronauts Gus Grissom and Ed White, and rookie agency astronaut Roger Chaffee, to Earth orbit to test out the technologies that would help future astronauts land on the moon. —Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 7 Dec. 2025

After a lifetime spent reciting the eternal love story of the Taj Mahal, veteran tour guide Vishu Das says his faith is shattered. —Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 7 Dec. 2025

The Raiders’ offensive line is full of holes, and this is as good a game as any for the veteran edge rusher to get going again for the stretch run. —Luca Evans, Denver Post, 7 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin veteranus, from veteranus, adjective, old, of long experience, from veter-, vetus old — more at wether

First Known Use

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

veteran

noun

vet·​er·​an ˈvet-ə-rən 

ˈve-trən

1

: a person who has had long experience (as in politics or the arts)

2

: a former member of the armed forces especially during wartime

veteran adjective