Etymologically
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veteran

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈvɛ.tə.ɹən/, /ˈvɛ.tɹən/[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Middle French vétéran or directly borrowed from Latin veterānus (“old, experienced; long in use”),[2][3][4] from vetus (“old, aged”) (genitive veteris),[2][5] from PIE Proto-Indo-European *wet- (“year”), also the source of Greek ἔτος (étos, “year”) and English wether.[2] Latin veteranus was used especially of soldiers, and in rural use of cattle, slaves and vines.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

One who has had long experience in military service, an old soldier: 1509 in the OED and MWU, about 1500 in Etymonline.[6][4][2]

Semantic evolution

One who has seen long service in any office or position is from 1597, the 1590s in Etymonline.[6][2] The adjective is from the 1610s, and of soldiers, much experienced in warfare, from 1611–1728.[2][6] Any former member of the armed forces, the usual North American sense, is from 1798.[6] A veteran car, one made before 1916 (or 1905), is from 1965.[6][7] The short form vet is from the mid-19th century.[5]

Timeline

  • 1509 – an old soldier.[6]
  • 1597 – one with long service in any field.[6]
  • 1798 – any ex-serviceman (chiefly American).[6]
  • 1965 – a veteran car.[6]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A person who has long experience in a particular field.
  2. A former member of the armed forces, especially one who served in a war.
  3. An old soldier with long experience.

Adjective

  1. Having long experience: a veteran journalist.

Word family

  • nonveteran
  • Veterans Day
  • inveterate
  • wether
  • vet
  • veterinary

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins