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

• vet
• expert
• professional
• old-timer
• warhorse
• master

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

Leading nominee Lady Gaga, Latin Icon Award recipient Ricky Martin and viral video breakouts Sombr and Conan Gray showcased MTV's commitment to balancing veterans and upstarts during the 2025 VMAs. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025

The kicker is the oldest veteran to play for the Bills in their franchise history. —Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025

From awe-inspiring moments delivered by showbiz veterans Ricky Martin, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga and Busta Rhymes, to younger talent such as Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae and Alex Warren wowing the audience with their current hits, the 2025 MTV VMAs did not disappoint. —Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025

On offense, there's still enough talent for Detroit to remain one of the league's toughest units to stop, especially if rookie guard Tate Ratledge and veteran center Graham Glasgow can are up to the task. —Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 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