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 of apprenticeship

• 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

As part of the program, IBM will participate in a new City Colleges apprenticeship program to support 500 students to work at the innovation center over the next five years, hiring at least 180 apprentice alumni to reach its employment target. — Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026

Pechenuk also favors speeding up building permits and expanding job and apprenticeship opportunities. — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026

Join or register an apprenticeship program through a union training center, an ABC chapter or a community college, and give one person ownership of it. — Alok Chanani, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

The larger, nearly $6 million grant aims to expand paraprofessional-to-teacher apprenticeships and strengthen teacher preparation, mentoring and support for new educators. — Eric Stirgus, AJC.com, 26 Oct. 2026

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