# veteran

Pronunciation: US say "VET-uh-ruhn" /ˈvɛ.tə.ɹən/; UK

## Noun

1. A person who has served in the armed forces, especially an older soldier with long military service.
   - Simple: Someone who has spent many years serving in the armed forces, often an old soldier.
   - _The veteran spoke to students about his years in the army._
   - _Many veterans struggle to readjust to civilian life after deployment._
2. A person with long experience in a particular activity or field.
   - Simple: Someone who has done a certain activity for a long time and knows it very well.
   - _As a veteran of countless negotiations, she stayed calm under pressure._
   - _The campaign hired several veterans of past elections._
5. A group, animal, or similar entity with long experience of a particular activity.
   - Simple: A team or animal that has taken part in something many times before.
   - _The old mare was a veteran of these jumps, calm at every fence._
   - _These squads are veterans of high-altitude rescue operations._

## Adjective

3. Concerning those who have left military service, particularly people who served in wartime.
   - Simple: Connected to people who used to serve in the military, especially in a war.
   - _Congress expanded veteran healthcare programs this year._
   - _Veteran advocacy organizations lobbied for better pensions._
4. Marked by long experience, practice, or service in a particular pursuit.
   - Simple: Having done something for a long time and being very skilled at it.
   - _The veteran journalist had covered five presidential administrations._
   - _Veteran climbers know to turn back when the weather suddenly shifts._

## Origin

Borrowed from Middle French vétéran, which comes from Latin veterānus.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/veteran (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).