greenhorn
Americannoun
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an untrained or inexperienced person.
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a naive or gullible person; someone who is easily tricked or swindled.
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Slang. a newly arrived immigrant; newcomer.
noun
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an inexperienced person, esp one who is extremely gullible
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a newcomer or immigrant
Other Word Forms
- greenhornism noun
Etymology
Origin of greenhorn
1425–75; late Middle English; green, horn; originally applied to cattle with green (i.e., young) horns
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They include seasoned politicians, an activist, greenhorn or two and others.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2023
By the time Jacob turned 2, Tony had put a ball in his son’s hands and was watching his greenhorn grow.
From New York Times • Oct. 1, 2021
They did not include Haotong Li, the 25-year-old second-round leader, but Li did refrain from the kind of free fall many would have projected from a greenhorn.
From Washington Post • Aug. 8, 2020
Instead, it was McIlroy that looked like the greenhorn.
From Golf Digest • May 5, 2019
"I don't have an extra pen," I whispered, complete sentences for whispers, that's what tells you I was still a greenhorn in this culture.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
