apprenticeship

noun

ap·​pren·​tice·​ship ə-ˈpren-tə(sh)-ˌship 

ə-ˈpren-təs-ˌship

1

: a position as an apprentice : an arrangement in which someone learns an art, trade, or job under another

He obtained an apprenticeship with a carpenter.

Later that year, he decided to become a barrister—a career that requires acceptance into an apprenticeship …

—Sidney Blumenthal

2

: the period of time when a person is an apprentice

During most of his apprenticeship he lived in Paris …

—Robert Penn Warren

a two-year apprenticeship

Synonyms

• internship
• training

Examples of apprenticeship in a Sentence

only after long apprenticeship as a camera operator was he appointed director of photography on a major motion picture

Recent Examples on the Web

Pechacek said the department offers career counseling, training, grants, certifications and apprenticeships for job seekers and recruitment and retention programs for businesses. —Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025

That apprenticeship and mentorship need to continue to be a formal part of our culture, a part of our learning environment. —Fortune Editors, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025

Oenoverse collaborates with the nonprofit The Veraison Project, which supports industry mentorship, scholarships, and apprenticeships. —Osayi Endolyn, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Oct. 2025

Xi abolished term limits on the presidency and transformed the vice presidency from a de facto apprenticeship for the top position into a sinecure for retiring officials. —Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for apprenticeship

• associateship
• bipartisanship
• conservatorship
• distributorship
• proprietorship
• secretaryship
• airship
• airstrip
• clerkship
• courtship
• equip
• filmstrip

Kids Definition

apprenticeship

noun

ap·​pren·​tice·​ship

ə-ˈprent-əs-ˌship

1

: service as an apprentice

2

: the period during which a person serves as an apprentice