novice

American  

[nov-is] / ˈnɒv ɪs /

noun

novices plural

1. a person who is new to the circumstances, work, etc., in which they are placed; beginner; tyro.

   The new senator was a novice in politics.

   Synonyms:

   newcomer, neophyte, greenhorn, beginner

2. a person who has been received into a religious order or congregation for a period of probation before taking vows.

   Synonyms:

   neophyte

3. a person newly become a church member.

4. a recent convert to Christianity.

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novice British  

/ ˈnɒvɪs /

noun

1. 1. a person who is new to or inexperienced in a certain task, situation, etc; beginner; tyro

   2. ( as modifier )

      novice driver

2. a probationer in a religious order

3. a sportsman, esp an oarsman, who has not won a recognized prize, performed to an established level, etc

4. a racehorse, esp a steeplechaser or hurdler, that has not won a specified number of races

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• novicehood
  noun
• novicelike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• novices
  plural

Etymology

Origin of novice

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English novyce, from Middle French novice, from Medieval Latin novītius “convent novice,” variant of Latin novīcius “newly come into a particular status,” derivative of novus new. See -itious

Explanation

If you're a novice at snowboarding, you're just learning the sport. On the Internet, a novice might be called a newbie, but your parents would call one a beginner. Novice is derived from the Latin word novus, which means new. A novice is new to what they do, so a novice photographer is just learning how to take nice pictures. Other words related to novice are novel "new, unusual," and innovate "to invent, begin with new ideas." Novice can also mean a member of a Christian order who has not yet taken their vows.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

novice novices

While Mr. Eisenkot isn’t a political novice, neither is he a career politician.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

Local retail savers have more than filled the gap, many of them novice equity holders increasingly buying through leveraged instruments.

From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026

We evaluated app design, ease of use, connection setup, switching servers and support options on each platform for usability by both novice and advanced users.

From Salon ● Jun. 10, 2026

Gordon Gottsegen explained new regulatory and industry rules on trading securities and shared statistics that are important for novice day traders.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 5, 2026

She was counted among the S.O.B.—Souls On Board—when the lads took off, but she certainly wasn’t authorized to be there coaxing along the novice bombing crews as they practiced low flying over the high moors.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein

They include novices straight out of education, laid-off construction workers and barbecue business owners seeking new inspiration.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

ETFs like these are easy for novices to work with and often have low fees.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 8, 2026

Veteran mountaineers and Everest novices were among those who reached the summit in the last week, and many of them also set new benchmarks with their climbs.

From BBC ● May 22, 2026

Within a few years, they were leading novices up Mount Rainier.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 15, 2026

They moved slowly, laughed slowly, but flicked the ashes from their cigarettes too quickly too often, and exposed themselves, to those who were interested, as novices to the habit.

From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison

Related Words

• beginner
• learner
• neophyte
• newcomer
• pupil
• trainee