Dictionary

veteran en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• [ˈvɛ.ɾə.ɹən] (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• [ˈvɛ.t̬ə.ɹən] (US)
• /ˈvɛ.tɹən/
• /ˈvɛ.tə.ɹən/

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French vétéran, from Latin veterānus.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Having had long experience, practice, or service.
   • Nothing could be more business-like than the construction of the stout dams, and nothing more gently rural than the limpid lakes, with the grand old forest trees marshalled round their margins like a veteran army that had marched down to drink, only to be stricken motionless at the water’s edge. 1913, Robert Barr, chapter 4, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad:
   • The insinuating eloquence and delicate flattery of veteran diplomatists and courtiers. 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter IV, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
   • “That was in Casco,” his wife contradicted immediately. She spoke in the unmistakable tones of a veteran contradictor. 1980, Stephen King, The Mist, Viking Press:
2. (not-comparable) Of or relating to former members of the military armed forces, especially those who served during wartime.

Relateds

inveterate

Translations (24)

pt veterano (with long experience) · ka ვეტერანი (with long experience) · ga ársa (with long experience) · sv erfaren (with long experience) · ota اسكی (with long experience) · pt veterano (related to former members of armed forces) · da erfaren (with long experience) · sv veteran- (related to former members of armed forces) · nl ervaren (with long experience) · es aguerrido (with long experience) · es retirado (related to former members of armed forces) · sv veteran- (with long experience) · es veterano (with long experience) · fa کهنهکار (with long experience) · gl veterano (related to former members of armed forces) · nl veteranen- (related to former members of armed forces) · bg ветерански (related to former members of armed forces) · ka გამოცდილი (with long experience) · da veteran- (related to former members of armed forces) · bg опитен (with long experience) · cmn 经验丰富的 (with long experience) · fa کارکشته (with long experience) · ka გამორძმედილი (with long experience) · gl veterano (with long experience)

veteran en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• [ˈvɛ.ɾə.ɹən] (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• [ˈvɛ.t̬ə.ɹən] (US)
• /ˈvɛ.tɹən/
• /ˈvɛ.tə.ɹən/

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French vétéran, from Latin veterānus.

Meanings

1. A person with long experience of a particular activity.
   • Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers.[…]Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster. Clever financial ploys are what have made billionaires of the industry’s veterans. “Operational improvement” in a portfolio company has often meant little more than promising colossal bonuses to sitting chief executives if they meet ambitious growth targets. That model is still prevalent today. 2013 June 22, “Engineers of a different kind”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, archived from the original on 25 Nov 2020, page 70:
   • The company's new hires were nervous, but the veterans were self-assured because, as one summarized it, "this isn't our first rodeo."
2. A person with long experience of a particular activity. ▸ A person who has served in the armed forces, especially an old soldier who has seen long service.
   • For 55-year-old U.S. Army veteran Sae Joon Park, this was the hardest moment of his life. […] Park's story reflects both the challenges of life after combat and the perils that noncitizen veterans face if caught in the legal system — realities made harsher amid the Trump administration's push for record deportations. 2025 June 24, Juliana Kim, “Purple Heart Army veteran self-deports after nearly 50 years in the U.S.”, in NPR:
   • We honor veterans and senior citizens with a ten percent discount.
3. (figuratively) A group, animal, etc. with long experience of a particular activity.
   • The label has often collaborated with other designers, like Australian shoemaker Teva and American woolwear veteran Pendleton. 2018 April 1, Cristian Bonetto, Lonely Planet Pocket Copenhagen, →ISBN, page 81:
   • Their mules were clearly veterans. They seemed to know what to do even better than the teenage farmhand who was driving the team.
   • Most of the cars which we call "veterans" today were on view at the Motor Show of 1911. 1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 87:

Forms

Coordinates

servicemember

Deriveds

veteranize · nonveteran · veteraness · veteran car · Veterans Day

Hypernyms

person · person

Relateds

VFW · VA

Synonyms

old hand · old-timer · old hand · warhorse · warhorse · old-timer

Translations (93)

vi cựu binh (old soldier) · fi veteraani (person with long experience) · fr ancien combattant (old soldier) · ca veterà (person with long experience) · it veterano (person with long experience) · cmn 老兵 (old soldier) · fr vétéran (person with long experience) · gl veterano (old soldier) · el βετεράνος (old soldier) · ru ветера́н (old soldier) · ko 퇴역 군인 (old soldier) · sk veterán (old soldier) · fi veteraani (old soldier) · ka ვეტერანი (old soldier) · nl oudgediende (person with long experience) · sl veteran (old soldier) · io veterano (person with long experience) · el παλαίμαχος (old soldier) · de Veteran (person with long experience) · ca veterà (old soldier) · ko 로병 (old soldier) · cs veterán (old soldier) · cmn 老將 /老将 (person with long experience) · sv veteran (person with long experience) · sv veteran (old soldier) · pt veterano (person with long experience) · de Kriegsveteran (old soldier) · nv siláołtsooí nilį́į́ ńtʼę́ʼę́ę (old soldier) · da veteran (person with long experience) · it reduce (old soldier) · sh ветѐра̄н (old soldier) · fa کهنهسرباز (old soldier) · mrw minangolod (old soldier) · bg ветера́н (old soldier) · fa کارکشته (person with long experience) · vi lính cũ (old soldier) · sah бэтэрээн (old soldier) · el παλαίμαχος (person with long experience) · uk ветера́н (old soldier) · es veterano (old soldier) · ko 베테랑 (person with long experience) · ja 老兵 (old soldier) · az qazi (old soldier) · vi cựu binh (person with long experience) · cmn 經驗豐富的人 /经验丰富的人 (person with long experience) · ru ветера́н (person with long experience) · fi sotaveteraani (old soldier) · mi pāraeroa (old soldier) · mk ветеран (old soldier) · mi ika a Whiro (old soldier) · sah бэтэрээн (person with long experience) · nl oud-strijder (old soldier) · he וָתִיק (person with long experience) · ar مُحَارِب قَدِيم (old soldier) · cmn 老將 /老将 (old soldier) · fr vétéran (old soldier) · ga ársa (person with long experience) · ja 退役軍人 (old soldier) · es lobo de mar (person with long experience) · be ветэра́н (old soldier) · da veteran (old soldier) · ja ベテラン (person with long experience) · nv naazbaaʼí (old soldier) · fa کهنهکار (person with long experience) · ko 노병 (old soldier) · hu obsitos (person with long experience) · az veteran (old soldier) · ka ვეტერანი (person with long experience) · de Veteran (old soldier) · fr ancien soldat (old soldier) · srn stonfutu (person with long experience) · es veterano (person with long experience) · it veterano (old soldier) · bg ветеран (person with long experience) · ga ársa (old soldier) · el βετεράνος (person with long experience) · pl weteran (old soldier) · gl vedraño (person with long experience) · pl weteran (person with long experience) · be вэтэра́н (old soldier) · sw mkale (person with long experience) · hy վետերան (old soldier) · pl weteranka (person with long experience) · nv siláołtsooídę́ę́ʼ nádzá (old soldier) · sh vetèrān (old soldier) · cmn 老手 (person with long experience) · pt veterano (old soldier) · nl veteraan (old soldier) · la ēmeritus (old soldier) · fi konkari (person with long experience) · nl veteraan (person with long experience) · pl weteranka (old soldier) · cmn 退伍軍人 /退伍军人 (old soldier)

wikidata: Q193891