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I possess the Cobuild Advanced Learner's Dictionary and I came across this weird expression for a non-native speaker which is "To take the dog to the vet's". I do infer they are talking about the veterinarian's office and that the letter s is showing the possession of a building by the vet. But the question is... How often do English speakers use this type of abbreviations? and is my inference correct?

F1Krazy
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Quique
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    You may also see vet written as v-e-t, indicating that the word is to be spelled out rather than spoken, so that the dog, who presumably cannot spell, is not forewarned of the event. – Andrew Morton Jan 15 '21 at 17:27
  • As an American pet owner my entire life (nearly 50), I have always, always said "to the vet". Saying "To the vet's" would sound extremely weird. – JVC Jan 16 '21 at 23:49
  • We often attach a possessive clitic 's to supermarket names – FumbleFingers Jun 21 '23 at 18:37

6 Answers6

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First, in British English (the variety I know) an "animal doctor" is almost always referred to as a vet, and more formally as a veterinary surgeon (or possibly other words replacing "surgeon"). I have never encountered the word veterinarian in Britain.

I know things are different in US English, but I can't speak about what's common. I know that people do talk about a vet there, despite its other meaning of "a veteran (from the armed services)", and I believe the word veterinarian is the normal more formal word.

As for go to the vet's: yes, very common. Just like go to the doctor's. We also say I took my dog to the vet: saying the vet's refers to the establishment - the practice or clinic, rather than to the vet himself/herself; but in practice there is no difference in the use or meaning.

Edit: There's been considerable discussion in the comments as to whether anybody actually says to the vet's in this sense (as opposed to to the vet), so I looked at the GloWbE database, and found that to the vet's (not followed by a possessed noun such as "office" or "room") occurs only 28 times - 11 from UK, 6 from US; whereas to the vet excluding talk to the vet occurs 1286 times, 325 from US and 232 from UK. (By inspection very few of these are vet = "veteran"). It is clear that to the vet is much more common than to the vet's everywhere. But the latter is relatively more common in the UK, though the numbers are small: 4.7% vs 1.8%.

Colin Fine
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    Yep, we say veterinarian on this side of the pond. Everything else you mention holds here, too. Although... I don’t know why, but I’d be more likely to say “go to the doctor’s” but “take my dog to the vet.” – thehole Jan 14 '21 at 03:36
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    @thehole Yeah. Taking yourself to the vets would be weird, unless you started barking or something. – Strawberry Jan 14 '21 at 12:36
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    Contextually, there is another meaning for ‘go to the vet’s’ in the US. I live near a major US Air Force base which also has a Veterans Health Administration hospital, and there are some people around here who refer to that as the ‘vet’ (though ‘VA’ or ‘VA hospital’ are both far more common). – Austin Hemmelgarn Jan 14 '21 at 12:45
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    In the US, or at least my part of it, it's more common to leave off the 's, e.g "go to the vet", go to the doctor", &c. – jamesqf Jan 14 '21 at 17:09
  • Agree with @jamesqf at least here in California. If someone said they're taking their cat "to the vet's", I would immediately ask them, "the vet's what?" – Kirk Woll Jan 14 '21 at 17:13
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    @KirkWoll (American, east coast) "The vet's" meaning "the vet's office"* is common enough here that if someone said "The vet's what?" in that context then I would probably think they were being a smart alec. Just like "I'm going to Bob's" generally means "I'm going to Bob's place of residence". * The vet's "office" here is the place where the vet sees animals--in British English I think they would say the vet's "surgery" or "clinic". – user3067860 Jan 14 '21 at 18:07
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    OP specifically notes confusion about the use of the possessive. The sentence can be constructed either way ("to the vet", "to the vet's"), but in the latter case there is an implied "...to the vet's (office)". or "...to the doctor's (office)". – J... Jan 14 '21 at 18:21
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    It could also be "to the vets", no apostrophe. In this sense it would refer to the fact that the veterinarian's clinic probably has more than one vet working there, so you're simply pluralizing it. – Darrel Hoffman Jan 14 '21 at 20:18
  • @Kirk Woll: Or I'd think the cat needed several vets to control it :-) – jamesqf Jan 14 '21 at 21:53
  • Regarding "vet" as "veteran", it crops up in older sporting categories too. I'd (in the UK) say this is more common than meaning former armed forces personnel, where the full "veteran" would be used, or quite likely "ex-RAF", "ex-army" or "ex-navy" – Chris H Jan 14 '21 at 22:45
  • @user3067860 I mean I "get" it. :) But I've literally never heard someone use that construction -- it's always (for me) "I'm taking my cat to the vet." Never "I'm taking my cat to the vet's". ‍♀️ – Kirk Woll Jan 14 '21 at 23:28
  • @KirkWoll I'd use it. – Asteroids With Wings Jan 15 '21 at 09:35
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    @KirkWoll It's highly regional, I'm sure. Conversational variation in English is much higher than formal or written. – J... Jan 15 '21 at 15:00
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    Calling a veterinarian a "vet" actually points to the etymology of the work. The verb "vet" in English means to "investigate" or "evaluate" (e.g. "we are vetting the list of candidates"). One of the classic roles of a veterinarian was to check out an animal (e.g. a horse) prior to purchase to make sure it was healthy. – JoelFan Jan 15 '21 at 19:15
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    Thank you, @JoelFan: I didn't know that. And the OED's earliest example of the transferred sense is 1898, only 7 years after its earliest example of the literal sense. – Colin Fine Jan 15 '21 at 19:57
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In US English, "vet" is a common abbreviation for "veterinarian". (It's also an abbreviation for "veteran", meaning a former member of the armed forces. Context should tell you which one is meant.) I hear "to the vet" much more than "to the vet's" but they're both understandable.

Adam Haun
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    At least in the part of the Southeastern U.S. where I live "to the vet's" is very common, though "to the vet" is also quite common. Of course, in the former case, 'office' is implied with the meaning "to the vet[erinarian]'s [office]." – reirab Jan 15 '21 at 01:46
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    "vet" also is a verb meaning to examine. And if it's spelled "vette", it's an abbreviation of "Corvette". – Acccumulation Jan 16 '21 at 22:13
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the question is how often do English speakers use this type of abbreviation

In British usage, all the time. That is the only word I have ever used in conversation. I don't think I have ever spoken the word veterinary although, of course, I know the word from reading it.

The vet's means the vet's surgery or the vet's practice**

I'm taking Rover to the vet. (Amongst dog-owners I have met this can lead to a question about whether surgical neutering is implied)

I'm taking Rover to the vet's.

I'm going to the vet's to collect Rover after his operation.

I'm going to the vet!!! (This would mean that I have a medical problem and will ask an animal doctor to cure me!)

practice noun (WORK) a job or business that involves a lot of skill or training: a dental/medical/veterinary/legal practice Our practice is responsible for about 5,000 patients. She's decided to leave the Health Service and join a private practice.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/practice

chasly - supports Monica
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    It doesn't imply neutering. – user253751 Jan 14 '21 at 16:55
  • It's probably fair to say that most people know "vet" is short for "veterinarian", but as you say, no-one would ever use the long form. In the same way, most people know that "pub" is short for "public house", but again you'd never say that. – Graham Jan 14 '21 at 17:08
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    @Graham As an American who consumes some British media, I know what a "pub" is, but did not know that it was short for "public house". – user3067860 Jan 14 '21 at 17:52
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    I like this answer a lot, but the "neutering" claim is stopping me from upvoting. That can be implied if the animal in question isn't sick or otherwise in need of care, but isn't always. You certainly don't have to override that default meaning if you say "I'm taking the cat to the vet" to your housemates after said cat has been throwing up or showing signs of illness. Even if you're later chatting with friends and mention you took your cat to the vet last week, they'll assume illness, not neutering. (At least in North America, I think. But I don't have a lot of experience with the subject.) – Peter Cordes Jan 14 '21 at 19:35
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    @Peter Cordes - I have edited my claim to make it less definite. As a long-time owner of dogs, I'm used to the euphemism, following a dog's amorous behaviour, "I think he needs to see the vet!" – chasly - supports Monica Jan 14 '21 at 19:45
  • @user253751 - I have modified my wording to make it less definite. See also response to comment by Peter Cordes – chasly - supports Monica Jan 14 '21 at 19:46
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    @chasly-supportsMonica and Peter Cordes, whereas when my wife told me that she's taking me to the vet she definitely implied for neutering. – Joel Brown Jan 14 '21 at 19:59
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    @chasly-supportsMonica: Yes, I'm familiar with the euphemistic use, which is in common usage when there is context that would support it. I forgot to mention that in my previous comment. But yeah, it's a weaker (if that's the word) euphemism, unlike like "sleep together" where you need extra phrasing to use the literal meaning. – Peter Cordes Jan 14 '21 at 20:18
  • @Peter Cordes - Yes. The main difference is that dogs don't understand nuances of language. Euphemism or the lack of it goes straight over their heads and into the next field. Funnily enough, many dog owners innocently refer to sleeping with their dog. Non-pet owners of a certain cast of mind may give a funny look but then non-pet-owners are non-grata! (only partly kidding!) – chasly - supports Monica Jan 14 '21 at 20:39
  • @chasly-supportsMonica - I don't sleep with my cat; she sleeps with me. – Michael Harvey Jan 15 '21 at 07:04
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    @Michael Harvey - That's what you think. Ask the cat and you might get a different answer. – chasly - supports Monica Jan 15 '21 at 09:44
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You asked whether "Go to ___'s" is common in English, beyond this one case. As a US native speaker of a Southern/Midwestern dialect, I can say that it is, in at least a few other cases.

  • "I'm going to Nancy's." This implies that I am going to Nancy's home. (Of course, this term could also refer a local business named Nancy's; it is fairly common to name a small business after the owner, sometimes with no noun attached to the possessive; I would think of this as Nancy's place, although it might be confusing to call it that.)
  • "I'm going to the doctor's." This implies going to the doctor's office.

There are probably more cases I can't think of right now.

jpaugh
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Yes, this type of elision is common in English.

For instance,

I got my master's, but, ironically, my current job pays less than the previous!. ("master's degree")

I passed my driver's, but my parents still don't let me borrow the car. ("driver's license test")

Note that in English, the full name of a place can be a possessive.

I had no time for breakfast, so I swung by McDonald's for Bacon 'n' Egg McMuffin.

"Eat at Joe's!"

This simply follows from being able to do the same with anyone's home.

There's a party at Bob's next Saturday!

(Bob's house)

Kaz
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It means: Go to the vet's office.

vet's = veterinarian's

Patriot
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