novice

noun

nov·​ice ˈnä-vəs How to pronounce novice (audio)
1
: a person admitted to probationary membership in a religious community
The novices spend part of each day in prayer and meditation.
2

Did you know?

Among the ancient Romans, a novice (novicius) was usually a newly enslaved person, who had to be trained in his or her duties. Among Catholics and Buddhists, if you desire to become a priest, monk, or nun, you must serve as a novice for a period of time, often a year (called your novitiate), before being ordained or fully professing your vows. No matter what kind of novice you are—at computers, at writing, at politics, etc.—you've got a lot to learn.

Examples of novice in a Sentence

Novices serve time as scullery serfs as they work toward the privilege of trailing a pastry chef … Guy Trebay, New York Times, 4 Sept. 2002
For the novice, walking the course also means being scared senseless by all the possibilities to screw up. Tim Keown, ESPN, 17 Sept. 2001
Yet it's obvious to him and everyone else who the novice is here, the book-learned tournament virgin. James McManus, Harper's, December 2000
Much defter than one would have thought possible from the length of her fingernails, Toula had no fear of high fast notes; her flair, mounted between Andrea's perfectionist reserve and Alice's novice awkwardness, seemed all too displayed. John Updike, The Afterlife, 1994
He's a novice in cooking. a book for the novice chess player
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The historic moment summoned bandana loyalists and Willie novices alike. Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American-Statesman, 25 Nov. 2024 Found in the Brazilian savannas, this terrestrial tarantula is a favorite among both novice and seasoned keepers for its manageable size and temperament. Scott Travers, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024 These genius self-watering bulbs automatically know when to water thirsty plants, making keeping indoor plants alive easy for green thumbs and novices alike. Claire Rutter, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2024 The deer, knowing by some mysterious means that his would-be slayer is a novice, stands still, looking with amusement at buck fever’s latest victim. Jack O’Connor, Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for novice 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, "probationer in a religious community" (continental Old French also, "inexperienced person"), borrowed from Late Latin novīcius, going back to Latin, "newly enslaved person, person recently entered into a condition," as adjective, "newly imported, recently discovered, fashionable," from novus "new" + -īcius -itious — more at new entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of novice was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near novice

Cite this Entry

“Novice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/novice. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

novice

noun
nov·​ice ˈnäv-əs How to pronounce novice (audio)
1
: a new member of a religious order who is preparing to take the vows of religion
2
: a person who has no previous experience with something

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