veterinary

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   relating to the medical and surgical treatment of animals

   The injured horse was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment.

2. 2
   noun

   chiefly British and now uncommon: a veterinary surgeon or veterinarian

   The veterinary examined the breeding animal before giving his opinion.

From Latin veterinarius, 'concerned with beasts of burden,' based on veterinae, 'working or draught animals.' English first used veterinary for animal medicine and also substantivized it for a practitioner; veterinarian was formed later from the same stem.

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