n.
Pronunciation: ' v ē -( ˌ )t ō
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural vetoes
Etymology: Latin, I forbid, from vetare to forbid
Date: 1629
1 : an authoritative prohibition : INTERDICTION
2 a : a power of one department or branch of a government to forbid or prohibit finally or provisionally the carrying out of projects attempted by another department especially : a power vested in a chief executive to prevent permanently or temporarily the enactment of measures passed by a legislature b (1) : the exercise of such authority (2) : a message communicating the reasons of an executive and especially the president of the U.S. for vetoing a proposed law