veterinarian

noun

vet·​er·​i·​nar·​i·​an ˌve-tə-rə-ˈner-ē-ən  ˌve-trə- 

ˌve-tə-ˈner-

plural veterinarians

: a person qualified and authorized to practice veterinary medicine

Other diagnostic procedures that may be used include imaging techniques such as ultrasound and bronchoscopy, which enables a veterinarian to examine the interior of an animal's airway …

—Tom Ewing

If your cat shows signs of anaphylaxis, take it to a veterinarian immediately.

—Amy D. Shojai

Examples of veterinarian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Around the same time, veterinarians found two large, life-threatening tumors on their dog, Bella Rose. —Luke Chinman, People.com, 24 Jan. 2025

Police said a veterinarian determined the dog to be in good health. —Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2025

However, the survey allows veterinarians to agree to be contacted by the editorial team at USA TODAY. —Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2025

But house cats are not wild animals, and most veterinarians advise against feeding companion animals raw food because of pathogens like salmonella and listeria. —Sarah Boden, NPR, 22 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

veterinarian

noun

vet·​er·​i·​nar·​i·​an ˌvet-ə-rən-ˈer-ē-ən  ˌve-trən- 

ˌvet-ᵊn-

: a person who is qualified and has been given the authority to treat diseases and injuries of animals

Medical Definition

veterinarian

noun

vet·​er·​i·​nar·​i·​an ˌvet-ə-rən-ˈer-ē-ən  ˌve-trən- 

ˌvet-ᵊn-

: a person qualified and authorized to practice veterinary medicine