novice

American  

[nov-is] / ˈnɒv ɪs /

noun

1. a person who is new to the circumstances, work, etc., in which they are placed; beginner; tyro.

   The new senator was a novice in politics.

   Synonyms:

   newcomer, neophyte, greenhorn, beginner

2. a person who has been received into a religious order or congregation for a period of probation before taking vows.

   Synonyms:

   neophyte

3. a person newly become a church member.

4. a recent convert to Christianity.

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novice British  

/ ˈnɒvɪs /

noun

1. 1. a person who is new to or inexperienced in a certain task, situation, etc; beginner; tyro

   2. ( as modifier )

      novice driver

2. a probationer in a religious order

3. a sportsman, esp an oarsman, who has not won a recognized prize, performed to an established level, etc

4. a racehorse, esp a steeplechaser or hurdler, that has not won a specified number of races

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Other Word Forms

• novicehood noun
• novicelike adjective

Etymology

Origin of novice

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English novyce, from Middle French novice, from Medieval Latin novītius “convent novice,” variant of Latin novīcius “newly come into a particular status,” derivative of novus new. See -itious

Example Sentences

While falls from ski lifts are rare, the possibility weighs heavily on the psyches of many novice skiers and snowboarders.

From Los Angeles Times

With AI doing their bidding, novices can cause damage in moments, while experienced hackers can launch many more sophisticated attacks with much less effort.

From Los Angeles Times

The sets are not sophisticated, the actors are mostly novices, and the AI-driven scenes can feel uncanny under scrutiny.

From BBC

Yet I feel like a befuddled novice, still grappling with the surprises.

From The Wall Street Journal

The study, however, showed that novice users quickly improved their understanding of the system’s functionality, Ford said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• beginner
• learner
• neophyte
• newcomer
• pupil
• trainee