vetting
Meaning
The process of examining someone or something carefully to make sure they are suitable for a particular job, purpose, etc.
Structure
Usage
The company has a strict vetting process for all new employees.
All candidates must undergo thorough background vetting.
The committee is responsible for the vetting of research proposals.
Etymology
The word 'vetting' originates from the informal verb 'to vet', which is a 19th-century abbreviation of 'veterinarian'. A veterinarian's role involves inspecting animals to ensure their health and soundness. This specific sense of expert examination was figuratively extended to the careful scrutiny of people, documents, or information for suitability or security clearance. The addition of the '-ing' suffix nominalizes the action, forming a term central to modern institutional processes of evaluation and approval.
Analysis
- vet: A clipping/back-formation from 'veterinarian', used figuratively to mean 'examine carefully'. Origin: Latin veterinarius (pertaining to beasts of burden). - ting: A variant of the gerund/verbal noun suffix '-ing', indicating the action or process.