novice

American  

[nov-is] / ˈnɒv ɪs /

noun

novices plural

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

Derived Forms

• novicehood
  noun
• novicelike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• novices
  plural

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

Explanation

If you're a novice at snowboarding, you're just learning the sport. On the Internet, a novice might be called a newbie, but your parents would call one a beginner. Novice is derived from the Latin word novus, which means new. A novice is new to what they do, so a novice photographer is just learning how to take nice pictures. Other words related to novice are novel "new, unusual," and innovate "to invent, begin with new ideas." Novice can also mean a member of a Christian order who has not yet taken their vows.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

novice novices

Local retail savers have more than filled the gap, many of them novice equity holders increasingly buying through leveraged instruments.

From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026

Gordon Gottsegen explained new regulatory and industry rules on trading securities and shared statistics that are important for novice day traders.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 5, 2026

The novice cook decides every condiment ought to be made from scratch.

From Salon ● Jun. 2, 2026

I was willing to give the young novice a primer on what a mayor can and can’t do, and let him know City Hall is a reality show like no other he’s been on.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2026

Then you know what it means to be done with novice work.”

From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead

They include novices straight out of education, laid-off construction workers and barbecue business owners seeking new inspiration.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

ETFs like these are easy for novices to work with and often have low fees.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 8, 2026

I took four rounds in a row, which my table of total novices agreed must be some kind of record.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

Baldy attracts both experienced hikers and novices to its picturesque alpine trails.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 15, 2026

The novices who attended her reported that she spent a third of her waking hours with her son, another third in prayer, and the rest in her tub.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Related Words

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