Vetted

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Carefully examined to ensure accuracy, reliability, or suitability
2. Subjected to a detailed review or investigation to confirm credentials or quality
3. Reviewed thoroughly to verify information and approve as trustworthy

Etymology: "Vetted" is the past tense of "vet", a verb that began as a clipping of "veterinarian" or of "veteran". The verb sense of checking someone or something thoroughly is the one that matters here. Its link to the animal doctor is the likeliest route: the sense of verifying an animal's soundness, as a veterinary examination does, probably lies behind the wider use. That makes the word a close cousin of the vet who examines a horse before a sale. An examiner who checks an animal's health before it is bought looks for hidden faults, and "vetting" a job applicant or a document carries the same idea of looking closely for flaws before accepting the thing. The clipping of "veteran" is a separate source, so the two origins are not one story. The shorter forms are what make the verb easy to use in everyday English.

Synonyms: examined, reviewed, approved, approved, assessed

Antonyms: unapproved, rejected