a doctor who practices veterinary medicine
"The vet examined my dog's paw and prescribed some pain medication."
a person who has served in the armed forces
"The recruiter asked every applicant to provide their military discharge papers since they were required to be a vet."
A veterinarian or veterinary surgeon.
"After completing her vet, she began working as a certified carpenter in the local trade program."
A veteran (a former soldier or other member of an armed forces).
Initialism of vocational education and training.
In plain English: A vet is a doctor who treats sick animals.
"The car needs to be inspected by a mechanic before we sell it, so I took it for a vet checkup first just in case there are any hidden issues."
Usage: Use the noun form "vet" primarily when referring to a licensed animal doctor, as it is distinct from the verb meaning to investigate someone's background. Avoid confusing this specific professional role with general terms like expert or specialist unless discussing animals specifically.
provide (a person) with medical care
"The doctor will vet your symptoms before prescribing any medication."
provide veterinary care for
"The local clinic will vet stray dogs to ensure they are healthy before adoption."
To thoroughly check or investigate particularly with regard to providing formal approval.
"The committee will vet all proposals before granting final funding approval."
In plain English: To vet someone means to carefully check their background and information before trusting them with something important.
"The company will vet all applicants before making any job offers."
The word vet is a shortened form of veterinarian that entered common usage as an informal abbreviation. It originally referred specifically to the medical profession but eventually became the standard term for any animal doctor.