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

Auteurs are out in force in this year’s writing and directing Emmy races and so are veteran pilot and episodic helmers. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 9 July 2026

Last month, veteran Hollywood producer Roy Lee got three calls in a single day from executives at three different studios. — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

This and that ▪ Three veterans from the Heat’s main roster (Bam Adebayo, Nikola Jovic and Davion Mitchell) were with the Heat for Wednesday’s summer league practice in Las Vegas. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026

Tim Hauser, a 34-year-veteran of EBSA who was the highest-ranking career staffer there before retiring last year, said such ideas undermine the heart of ERISA. — Paul Kiel, ProPublica, 8 July 2026

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