rookie
Americannoun
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an athlete playing their first season as a member of a professional sports team.
The rookie replaced the injured regular at first base.
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a raw recruit, as in the army or on a police force.
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a novice; tyro.
noun
Usage
What does Rookie of the Year mean? Rookie of the Year is an award given to an athlete judged most accomplished in the first season of their sport.
Etymology
Origin of rookie
Explanation
A rookie is someone who's new at something. The young football player who's just joined the NFL is a rookie, and if you just started your restaurant job yesterday, you're a rookie too. Police officers and members of the military also call recent recruits rookies. This word can also function as an adjective to describe something related to newbies — like a "rookie season" or a "rookie quarterback." The word's origin is a bit hazy, though it may come from the disparaging secondary meaning of rook, "a cheat," or more appropriately, "someone who's easily cheated."
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.
A sports card from the 7-foot-4 French star’s rookie season has also made headlines.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
Brazilian rookie Caio Collet had smashed the right side of his machine into the wall, ripping off two wheels and causing it to catch fire.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
British rookie, in an upgraded Racing Bulls car, was ninth, ahead of Williams driver Carlos Sainz.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Look at Wembanyama’s rookie teammate Dylan Harper, installed as a low-pressure fourth or even fifth option, now accelerating into one of the game’s most electric talents.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
The murky visibility was making it nearly impossible for rookie coast guardsman John Cullen to do his job.
From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple
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.
