veteran
UK: ˈvetərən | US: ˈvetərən
n. a person with long experience in a particular field, especially military service
n. (adj.) having long experience in a specific profession or activity
veteran = veter<old> + an<noun/adjective suffix>
- veter (from Latin vetus, meaning "old" or "long-standing")
- an (a suffix forming nouns/adjectives, often indicating association or origin)
Etymology Origin:
The word "veteran" traces back to Latin veteranus, derived from vetus (old). Originally used to describe soldiers who had served long terms in the Roman army, it later broadened to denote anyone with extensive experience in a field. The morpheme veter preserves the core idea of age or longevity, while -an standardizes it as a noun/adjective in English.
The company hired a veteran engineer to lead the project.
He is a veteran of the Vietnam War.
As a veteran teacher, she shared valuable advice with new staff.
The team relied on the veteran player’s expertise during the crisis.
Veterans often face challenges when transitioning to civilian life.