veter- +
(Latin vetus: old, aged; many years)
inveteracy
1. The quality or state of being inveterate or deeply ingrained: "She never could understand the inveteracy of people's prejudices."
2. The firm establishment by long continuance; firmness or deep-rooted obstinacy of any quality or state acquired by time; such as, the inveteracy of custom, habit, or disease; usually in a bad sense; such as, the inveteracy of errors.
3. Malignity; spitefulness; virulency.
inveterate
1. That which has existed or continued for a long time; of old standing; aged.
2. Firmly established by long continuance; long-established; deep-rooted; obstinate.
3. A reference to a disease: of long standing, chronic; hence, deep-seated and resisting treatment.
4. Persistent, lasting.
5. Full of obstinate prejudice or hatred; embittered, malignant; virulent.
6. Settled or confirmed in habit, condition, or practice; habitual, hardened, obstinate.
7. Someone who is confirmed in some (evil) habit; a confirmed or hardened offender.
8. To make old; to establish or confirm by age or long continuance; to root or implant deeply; to render chronic.
inveterately
1. In a habitual and long-standing manner.
2. Firmly established by long persistence, obstinacy.
inveterateness
Obstinacy confirmed by time; inveteracy.
inveteration
The act of hardening or confirming by long continuance.
veteran
1. One who has had long experience in military service; an old soldier; any ex-serviceman (primarily North American).
2. The meaning of any former member of the armed forces, ex-serviceman (not necessarily old) is first recorded in 1798, in American English, but is alluded to earlier in reference to the same condition in the Roman army
3. One who has seen long service in any office or position; an experienced or aged person.
veterancy
The state or condition of being a veteran.
veteraness
A female veteran.
veteranize
To re-enlist for service as a soldier.
veterascent
Growing old.
veterate
1. Of long standing; inveterate.
2. Having the authority of age or antiquity.
veterinarian
1. Someone who is skilled in, or professionally occupied with, the medical and surgical treatment of cattle and domestic animals; a veterinary surgeon.
2. A reference to a doctor who treats animals.
3. Etymology: from 1646, formed in English (perhaps by influence of French
veterinaire) from Latin
veterinarius, "of or having to do with beasts of burden"; also, "cattle doctor", from
veterinum, "beast of burden", maybe from
vetus,"old"; possibly from the notion of being "experienced", or being "one year old"; hence, strong enough to pull burdens.
Another theory connects it to Latin, vehere "to draw, to pull", based on the notion of "used as a draft animal".
A sign seen in a veterinarian’s office:
The doctor is in. Sit! Stay!
—Paul Harvey, radio broadcast, December 2, 1996.
veterinary
1. Of or pertaining to, connected or concerned with, the medical or surgical treatment of cattle and domestic animals.
2. Etymology: from Latin
veterinarius, "pertaining to beasts of burden or draft animals"; as in plowing or pulling; especially,
veterina, "a draft animal", from
vetus, "old" (
veter-, stem of
vetus, "old"); originally "one year old".
Veterina bestia probably means "an animal one year old"; hence, strong enough to draw burdens (1729-1797).
veteriniatrics, veteriniatric
1. The branch of medicine which usually deals with the medical treatment of domestic animals.
2. A reference to any aspect of the study or medical treatment of diseases in animals.
Related "old; old age, elder" units:
gero-;
obsolesc-;
presbyo-;
sen-.