Word
veterinarian
Phoneticsvet·eri·nar·i·an
US/ˌvɛtɝəˈnɛɹiən/
UK/vˌɛtəɹɪnˈeəɹiən/
Definitions
01animal doctor
n. a doctor who treats sick or injured animals.
n. a medical practitioner qualified to diagnose and treat diseases and injuries in animals.
“We took our cat to the veterinarian because she stopped eating her food.”
“The veterinarian performed a complex surgery on the horse to repair a fracture it sustained during the race.”
Usage
Often shortened to 'vet' in everyday conversation.
Teaching tip
While 'veterinarian' is the full formal term, 'vet' is much more common in daily speech; however, 'veterinarian' is preferred in professional or academic writing.
Synonyms
02relating to animal medicine
adj. relating to the medical care of animals.
adj. relating to the medical treatment of animals; synonymous with the more common adjective 'veterinary'.
“She is applying to veterinarian school to become a doctor for pets.”
“The university expanded its veterinarian department to include a new research wing for exotic species.”
American English · Technical
Usage
Used attributively before a noun.
Teaching tip
In most contexts, 'veterinary' is the standard adjective; using 'veterinarian' as an adjective is primarily an American English convention.
Synonyms
Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.