vet·er·i·nary
ˈve-tə-rə-ˌner-ē 
ˈve-trə-
ˈve-trə-
ˈve-tə-ˌner-
: of, relating to, practicing, or being the science and art of prevention, cure, or alleviation of disease and injury in animals and especially domestic animals
a veterinary clinic
Examples of veterinary in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Several steps can be taken to protect your backyard chickens or ducks, according to the veterinary association.
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Skyler Caruso, People.com, 16 May 2025
The rest of the veterinary is designed to soothe cats: phones don’t ring, machines don’t beep and all animals’ eyes in decorative paintings face away from the real-life veterinary patients.
—Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for veterinary
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Adjective
Angela Bettis gives one of the best horror performances of the decade as the title character, a deeply lonely veterinary assistant and amateur taxidermist with a lazy eye and no friends, who loses her already tenuous grip on reality after experiencing one too many romantic rejections.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Several steps can be taken to protect your backyard chickens or ducks, according to the veterinary association.
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
Her own love for the species, along with animals of all kinds, influenced her decision to study veterinary before realizing the job wasn't for her.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 16 May 2025
The rest of the veterinary is designed to soothe cats: phones don’t ring, machines don’t beep and all animals’ eyes in decorative paintings face away from the real-life veterinary patients.
—Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for veterinary
Cite this Entry
“Veterinary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/veterinary. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
veterinary
1 of 2 adjective
vet·er·i·nary
ˈvet-ə-rən-ˌer-ē
ˈve-trən-
ˈve-trən-
ˈvet-ᵊn-
: of, relating to, or being the medical care of animals
veterinary medicine
Medical Definition
veterinary
1 of 2 adjective
vet·er·i·nary
ˈvet-ə-rən-ˌer-ē
ˈve-trən-
ˈve-trən-
ˈvet-ᵊn-
: of, relating to, or being veterinary medicine
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