novitiate

or no·vi·ci·ate

[ noh-vish-ee-it, -eyt ]

noun

1. the state or period of being a novice of a religious order or congregation.
2. the quarters occupied by religious novices during probation.
3. the state or period of being a beginner in anything.
4. a novice.

novitiate

/ -ˌeɪt; nəʊˈvɪʃɪɪt /

noun

1. the state of being a novice, esp in a religious order, or the period for which this lasts
2. the part of a religious house where the novices live
3. a less common word for novice

Word History and Origins

Origin of novitiate¹

1590–1600; < Medieval Latin, equivalent to novīti ( us ) novice + -ātus -ate ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of novitiate¹

C17: from French noviciat, from Latin novīcius novice

Example Sentences

A petition to be made a nun without having to go through the novitiate in the white veil was placed before me, and I signed it.

From Project Gutenberg

He spent some months in Prato with his friend Fra Diamante, who had been his companion in novitiate.

From Project Gutenberg

It was a position of great trust, and never before in the history of the monastery had it been given to a mere novitiate.

From Project Gutenberg

I never dared ask myself what the outcome of it all would be; I wanted to finish my novitiate first.

From Project Gutenberg

He was called another Confucius, and was even empowered by the authorities to establish a novitiate at Pekin.

From Project Gutenberg