novice

noun

nov·​ice ˈnä-vəs 

1

: a person admitted to probationary membership in a religious community

The novices spend part of each day in prayer and meditation.

2

: beginner, tyro

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.

Synonyms

• abecedarian
• apprentice
• babe
• beginner
• colt
• cub
• fledgling
• freshman
• greenhorn
• neophyte
• newbie
• newcomer
• novitiate
• punk
• recruit
• rook
• rookie
• tenderfoot
• tyro
• virgin

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

Area garden clubs foster the joy of gardening through their interactions with the community, offering advice and guidance for both novices and those who already have a green thumb. —Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024

While Dickie, a novice and untalented painter, receives Tom warmly, his girlfriend, Marge (Dakota Fanning), is immediately suspicious of her beau’s supposed acquaintance. —Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024

Why has the classical-music world capitulated en masse to a relative novice? —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2024

That's pretty much what happened with Robinhood Markets, which operates a simple-to-use and low cost trading platform aimed at novice investors that also offered IPO shares to its users. —David Hamilton, Quartz, 12 Mar. 2024

Schiff and his supporters have spent millions airing ads characterizing Garvey, a political novice who has barely campaigned, as his chief rival in the competitive Senate race and a fervent disciple of former President Trump. —Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024

This, oddly enough, makes the pricier Forerunner 265 a better fit for novices than the entry-level sibling. —Andrew Williams, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024

But, for a relative novice at a position like Betts, each marked a significant step in the right direction. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024

The Blossom Kite Festival draws tens of thousands of novice and expert fliers from around the country to the Mall every year. —Jenna Portnoy, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024

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

Kids Definition

novice

noun

nov·​ice ˈnäv-əs 

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