veteran
veteran — noun
1. Someone who has spent so many years doing a particular job or activity that they
Someone who has spent so many years doing a particular job or activity that they know it extremely well.
Pedro, a veteran of the city's restaurant industry, opened his own place last year.
veteran of [industry/field]
The team brought in a veteran diplomat to help with the peace talks.
Lien, a twenty-year veteran of the fire department, had seen almost every emergency.
Even veteran climbers found the new route extremely difficult.
The newspaper hired a veteran journalist to lead its investigative team.
- old hand
informal, suggests long familiarity rather than formal expertise
- expert
focuses on high skill level rather than length of experience
- seasoned professional
emphasises reliability gained through years of practice
文法句型
veteran + of [activity/field]
veteran + with [time period]
用法筆記
Often used immediately before another noun to describe a person's role (a veteran actor, a veteran teacher). The noun sense and the adjective sense overlap in meaning, but the noun form can be modified by numbers or adjectives (a twenty-year veteran, a true veteran).
常見錯誤
2. A person who was once a member of the military, especially one who experienced c
A person who was once a member of the military, especially one who experienced combat or served during a war.
The hospital offers special health programs for military veterans.
military veteran
Asher's grandfather is a veteran who fought in the Korean War.
Many veterans struggle to find jobs after returning to civilian life.
The local community centre provides free counselling services for veterans.
A group of veterans gathered at the war memorial on Remembrance Day.
- ex-serviceman / ex-servicewoman
more formal and specifically refers to former military personnel
- old soldier
slightly dated, often implies someone who served long ago
- civilian
a person who is not a member of the armed forces
文法句型
veteran + of [war]
war veteran
military veteran
用法筆記
In the United States, 'veteran' legally refers to anyone who has served in the armed forces, regardless of whether they saw combat. In other contexts it may imply active wartime service. Frequently appears in compounds such as 'war veteran', 'Vietnam veteran', or 'combat veteran'.
常見錯誤
veteran — adjective
1. Describes someone who has spent a very long time working in a certain field, giv
Describes someone who has spent a very long time working in a certain field, giving them deep knowledge and skill.
The newspaper hired a veteran reporter to cover the election campaign.
attributive: veteran + job role
Selim is a veteran teacher who has worked at three different schools over thirty years.
The veteran politician announced that she would not seek re-election.
Imran's veteran status in the tech industry made him a highly sought-after consultant.
A veteran pilot with over fifteen thousand flight hours handled the emergency landing.
- seasoned
very close in meaning, emphasising that experience has made someone reliable and skilful
- experienced
broader term; does not necessarily imply as many years as 'veteran' does
- long-serving
focuses on the duration of service more than the skill gained
- inexperienced
lacking the knowledge that comes from doing something for a long time
- novice
at the very beginning of learning a skill or activity
文法句型
veteran + noun
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributive position). You can say 'a veteran campaigner' but not 'the campaigner is veteran'. To express the same idea after a linking verb, use 'a veteran' (noun form) instead.