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

In all, through injuries and midweek rest for veterans, Varas started five players who are 20 or younger. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2026

Amid the Great Depression, World War I veterans began arriving in Washington, DC, to lobby for early payment of bonus certificates that were redeemable in 1945. —USA Today, 13 May 2026

In 2024, the department’s annual count found 32,882 homeless veterans, the lowest figure since the count began in 2009. —Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026

Baltimore first scored off the veteran in the second inning when Coby Mayo ripped an RBI double. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 13 May 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