veteran

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: vet=er=an

CIDE DICTIONARY

veteran, a. [L. veteranus, from vetus, veteris, old; akin to Gr. 'e`tos year, Skr. vatsara. See Wether.].

 Long exercised in anything, especially in military life and the duties of a soldier; long practiced or experienced; as, a veteran officer or soldier; veteran skill.  [1913 Webster]
"The insinuating eloquence and delicate flattery of veteran diplomatists and courtiers."  [1913 Webster]

veteran, n. [L. veteranus (sc. miles): cf. F. vétéran.].

 One who has been long exercised in any service or art, particularly in war; one who has had much experience, or has grown old or decrepit in service.  [1913 Webster]
" In the United States, during the civil war, soldiers who had served through one term of enlistment and had reënlisted were specifically designated veterans."  [1913 Webster]
"Ensigns that pierced the foe's remotest lines,
The hardy veteran with tears resigns."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

veteran, n.
1 a person who has grown old in or had long experience of esp. military service or an occupation (a war veteran; a veteran of the theatre; a veteran marksman).
2 US an ex-serviceman or servicewoman.
3 (attrib.) of or for veterans.

Idiom

veteran car Brit. a car made before 1916, or (strictly) before 1905.

Etymology

F v{eacute}t{eacute}ran or L veteranus (adj. & n.) f. vetus -eris old

THESAURUS

veteran

Father Time, Methuselah, Nestor, Old Paar, blase, campaigner, centenarian, cosmopolitan, cosmopolite, dotard, elder, experienced, expert, gaffer, geezer, golden-ager, gramps, grandfather, grandsire, graybeard, knowing, master, mature, matured, nonagenarian, not born yesterday, octogenarian, old, old campaigner, old chap, old codger, old dog, old duffer, old geezer, old gent, old gentleman, old hand, old man, old party, old pro, old salt, old sea dog, old soldier, old-time, old-timer, older, oldster, pantaloon, past master, patriarch, practical, practiced, presbyter, ripe, ripened, sagacious, salt, seasoned, seasoned veteran, senior citizen, septuagenarian, sexagenarian, shellback, skilled, sophisticated, the quiet-voiced elders, tried, tried and true, trouper, venerable sir, versed, vet, war-horse, warhorse, wise, world-wise, worldly, worldly-wise

ROGET THESAURUS

veteran

Proficient

N proficient, expert, adept, dab, dabster, crackerjack, connoisseur, master, master hand, prima donna, first fiddle, top gun, chef de cuisine, top sawyer, protagonist, past master, mahatma, picked man, medallist, prizeman, veteran, old stager, old campaigner, old soldier, old file, old hand, man of business, man of the world, nice hand, good hand, clean hand, practiced hand, experienced eye, experienced hand, marksman, good shot, dead shot, crack shot, ropedancer, funambulist, acrobat, cunning man, conjuror, wizard, genius, mastermind, master head, master spirit, cunning blade, sharp blade, sharp fellow, jobber, cracksman, politician, tactician, strategist, pantologist, admirable Crichton, Jack of all trades, prodigy of learning.

Combatant

N combatant, disputant, controversialist, polemic, litigant, belligerent, competitor, rival, corrival, fighter, assailant, champion, Paladin, mosstrooper, swashbuckler fire eater, duelist, bully, bludgeon man, rough, prize fighter, pugilist, boxer, bruiser, the fancy, gladiator, athlete, wrestler, fighting-cock, game-cock, warrior, soldier, fighting man, Amazon, man at arms, armigerent, campaigner, veteran, swordsman, sabreur, redcoat, military man, Rajput, armed force, troops, soldiery, military forces, sabaoth, the army, standing army, regulars, the line, troops of the line, militia, yeomanry, volunteers, trainband, fencible, auxiliary, bersagliere, brave, garde-nationale, garde-royale, minuteman, auxiliary forces, reserve forces, reserves, posse comitatus, national guard, gendarme, beefeater, guards, guardsman, yeomen of the guard, life guards, household troops, janissary, myrmidon, Mama, Mameluke, spahee, spahi, Cossack, Croat, Pandoz, irregular, guerilla, partisan, condottiere, franctireur, tirailleur, bashi-bazouk, vietminh, vietcong, shining path, contras, huk, hukbalahap, mercenary, soldier of fortune, hired gun, gunfighter, gunslinger, bushwhacker, free lance, companion, Hessian, hit man torpedo, soldier, levy, draught, Landwehr, Landsturm, conscript, recruit, cadet, raw levies, infantry, infantryman, private, private soldier, foot soldier, Tommy Atkins, rank and file, peon, trooper, sepoy, legionnaire, legionary, cannon fodder, food for powder, officer, subaltern, ensign, standard bearer, spearman, pikeman, spear bearer, halberdier, lancer, musketeer, carabineer, rifleman, jager, sharpshooter, yager, skirmisher, grenadier, fusileer, archer, bowman, horse and foot, horse soldier, cavalry, horse, artillery, horse artillery, light horse, voltigeur, uhlan, mounted rifles, dragoon, hussar, light dragoon, heavy dragoon, heavy, cuirassier, Foot Guards, Horse Guards, gunner, cannoneer, bombardier, artilleryman, matross, sapper, sapper and miner, engineer, light infantry, rifles, chasseur, zouave, military train, coolie, army, corps d'armee, host, division, battalia, column, wing, detachment, garrison, flying column, brigade, regiment, corps, battalion, sotnia, squadron, company, platoon, battery, subdivision, section, squad, piquet, picket, guard, rank, file, legion, phalanx, cohort, cloud of skirmishers, war horse, charger, destrier, marine, man-of-war's man, navy, wooden walls, naval forces, fleet, flotilla, armada, squadron, man-of-war, destroyer, submarine, minesweeper, torpedo-boat, torpedo-destroyer, patrol torpedo boat, PT boat, torpedo- catcher, war castle, H, M, S, battleship, battle wagon, dreadnought, line of battle ship, ship of the line, aircraft carrier, carrier, flattop, helicopter carrier, missile platform, missile boat, ironclad, turret ship, ram, monitor, floating battery, first- rate, frigate, sloop of war, corvette, gunboat, bomb vessel, flagship, guard ship, cruiser, armored cruiser, protected cruiser, privateer, tender, store ship, troop ship, transport, catamaran, merchant marine.

Veteran

N veteran, old man, seer, patriarch, graybeard, grandfather, grandsire, grandam, gaffer, gammer, crone, pantaloon, sexagenarian, octogenarian, nonagenarian, centenarian, old stager, dotard, preadamite, Methuselah, Nestor, old Parr, elders, forefathers, superfluous lags the veteran on the stage.