English Meaning & Definitions
Plural of 'vet'; informal term for veterinarians or former members of the armed forces.
- “The local vets are hosting a free vaccination clinic this weekend.”
- “The parade was held to honor the brave vets who served in the conflict.”
Third-person singular present tense of 'vet'; to make a careful and critical examination of something or someone.
- “The committee vets all potential candidates for the board of directors.”
- “She vets every document before it is sent to the legal department.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “vets”.
The word 'vets' serves as a clipping for two distinct origins. As a noun, it is a shortening of 'veterinarians' (from Latin 'veterinarius', meaning 'of or pertaining to beasts of burden'). As a noun referring to former military personnel, it is a shortening of 'veterans' (from Latin 'veteranus', meaning 'old, experienced'). As a verb, it is a back-formation from 'vetting', which originated in the late 19th century to describe the process of a veterinarian examining a horse for soundness before a race, later evolving to mean any thorough investigation or appraisal.
Think of a 'vet' (veterinarian) checking a dog's health; 'vets' are the ones who do the checking (vetting) or the ones who have served (veterans).
Frequently Asked Questions About “vets”
1. What is the meaning of “vets” in English?
In English, vets (noun) is defined as: “Plural of 'vet'; informal term for veterinarians or former members of the armed forces.”.
2. How do you use “vets” in a sentence?
“The local vets are hosting a free vaccination clinic this weekend.”
3. What are English synonyms of “vets”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “vets”?
The word 'vets' serves as a clipping for two distinct origins. As a noun, it is a shortening of 'veterinarians' (from Latin 'veterinarius', meaning 'of or pertaining to beasts of burden'). As a noun referring to former military personnel, it is a shortening of 'veterans' (from Latin 'veteranus', meaning 'old, experienced'). As a verb, it is a back-formation from 'vetting', which originated in the late 19th century to describe the process of a veterinarian examining a horse for soundness before a race, later evolving to mean any thorough investigation or appraisal.
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