ENGLISH
REFERENCE

veterinarian

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US //ˌvɛtɝəˈnɛɹiən// UK //vˌɛtəɹɪnˈeəɹiən// vet·eri·nar·i·an

n. a doctor who is trained to take care of animals. You take your pets to see them when they are sick or need a checkup.

n. a medical professional qualified to treat diseased or injured animals. Often shortened to 'vet' in everyday speech.


SIMPLE

The veterinarian gives the dog a health checkup.

CONTEXTUAL

After the cat stopped eating, we took her to the veterinarian to see if she had an infection.

COMPLEX

While some veterinarians focus exclusively on domestic pets like cats and dogs, others specialize in livestock or exotic wildlife conservation.

Synonyms
Origin

From Latin veterīnārius (“cattle doctor”) + -an, from veterīnae (“beasts of burden, draught-”), probably from vehō (“to convey, draw”), or from vetus (“old”). By surface analysis, veterinary + -an.

Usage

Commonly shortened to 'vet' in both British and American English; 'veterinary surgeon' is the formal title in the UK.

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