“Old soldiers,” for example, were called veterani. To examine carefully and critically for deficiencies or errors specifically, to investigate the suitability of (a person) for a post that requires loyalty and trustworthiness.Īs for veteran and veto, the English word veteran comes from a Latin word for old. I shall have him vetted before the races.īy 1904, the term had spread to general usage with this meaning: It originated as a term meaning, “to submit an animal to examination or treatment by a veterinary surgeon.” The earliest citation in the OED illustrates the word in the context of horse racing:ġ891: Beau is shaky in his fore legs. The verb “to vet” is derived from the noun veterinarian. Some speakers–apparently lacking access to a dictionary–speculate that the verb vet may derive from veteran or veto:įrom Latin veto (“to prohibit”), referring to the practice of having an opportunity to veto a decision before it is finalized. While it is general practice for most employers to call references and confirm previous employers, vetting an employee delves a little deeper into the applicant’s background. The Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) provides the only official vetting service in the Republic of Ireland.

Hollywood’s medical storylines vetted by those who knowġ0 Steps for Vetting Unknown Internet Sources Here are some examples of the word’s current use on the Web:

Honestly, I had never heard the word before until today. The past presidential election is the first time I heard the term “vet” or “vetting a candidate.” What does it mean? (2012) Some forum participants continue to puzzle over it:

( Bailout was Number One.)Īlthough the word has been in American dictionaries for close to 100 years, few US speakers seem to have heard of it before 2008. Vet was Number Two on Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year list that year.

The verb vet, “investigate someone’s suitability for a job,” took the American media by storm during the presidential campaign of 2008.

What does it mean to vet someone