Veterinary is the describing word for anything to do with medical care for animals: veterinary medicine, a veterinary clinic, veterinary school, veterinary care, veterinary bills, a veterinary nurse. It sits in front of a noun almost every time — you would not normally say 'the treatment was veterinary'.

Veterinary is the describing word for anything to do with medical care for animalsVeterinary是用來形容跟動物醫療照顧有關的一切事物的形容詞：veterinary medicine, a veterinary clinic, veterinary school, veterinary care, veterinary bills, a veterinary nurse像veterinary medicine、a veterinary clinic、veterinary school、veterinary care、veterinary bills、a veterinary nurse。It sits in front of a noun almost every time它幾乎每次都放在名詞前面——you would not normally say 'the treatment was veterinary'你通常不會說『the treatment was veterinary』。

Notice the difference from veterinarian: veterinarian is the person, veterinary is the field, the study, the kind of care. 'She is a veterinarian' but 'she studies veterinary medicine'.

Notice the difference from veterinarian注意它跟veterinarian不一樣：veterinarian is the personveterinarian指的是人，veterinary is the field, the study, the kind of careveterinary指的是那個領域、那門學問、那種照顧。'She is a veterinarian' but 'she studies veterinary medicine'『She is a veterinarian』，但要說『she studies veterinary medicine』。

The word carries a formal, official flavour. It belongs on signs, on university course lists, in laws and regulations, and in writing; in ordinary talk people say 'the vet's' — 'the vet's bill', 'the vet's office' — rather than 'the veterinary bill'.

The word carries a formal, official flavour這個字帶有正式、官方的味道。It belongs on signs, on university course lists, in laws and regulations, and in writing它會出現在招牌上、大學課程表上、法規裡和書面文字裡；in ordinary talk people say 'the vet's'在日常對話裡大家會說『the vet's』——'the vet's bill', 'the vet's office'像『the vet's bill』、『the vet's office』——rather than 'the veterinary bill'而不是『the veterinary bill』。

In British English, veterinary is the usual full form, and 'veterinary surgeon' is the formal title for what Americans call a veterinarian. In Britain it can also stand alone as a noun meaning a vet, but that use is old-fashioned and rare now; treat it as a describing word.

In British English, veterinary is the usual full form在英式英文裡veterinary是常用的完整說法，and 'veterinary surgeon' is the formal title for what Americans call a veterinarian而『veterinary surgeon』就是美式所說的veterinarian的正式頭銜。In Britain it can also stand alone as a noun meaning a vet在英國它也可以單獨當名詞用，意思是vet，but that use is old-fashioned and rare now但這種用法現在已經過時而且很少見；treat it as a describing word把它當成形容詞看待就好。

Pronunciation is where it hurts. It is long, and even native speakers squeeze it — Americans commonly say something like VET-er-in-air-ee, while British speakers often crush it down to VET-rin-ree or even VET-ner-ee. All of these are normal; do not think you must hit every syllable perfectly.

Pronunciation is where it hurts發音才是這個字最難搞的地方。It is long這個字很長，and even native speakers squeeze it連母語人士都會把它壓縮：Americans commonly say something like VET-er-in-air-ee美國人常唸成類似VET-er-in-air-ee，while British speakers often crush it down to VET-rin-ree or even VET-ner-ee而英國人常常直接壓縮成VET-rin-ree甚至VET-ner-ee。All of these are normal這些說法都很正常；do not think you must hit every syllable perfectly不用覺得非得把每個音節都唸得很準確不可。