noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of beginner
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at begin, -er 1
Explanation
A beginner is someone who's brand new at something. In swimming lessons, a beginner practices putting her face in the water and blowing bubbles. If you're a beginner, you're a novice or an amateur — in other words, you're still learning. When you're learning to drive, you're a beginner and probably need the help of an instructor while you drive carefully around your neighborhood. A beginner at speaking French might be able to say a few phrases and know some basic vocabulary words. The earliest meaning of beginner, from the 14th century, was "founder," or "person who establishes an institution."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Why would a billionaire choose to become a beginner again?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
Our Sunday folk session has been going for many years and is open to everyone - whether you're a beginner player or an international rock star.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
“For younger or beginner investors, having parental visibility or approval can be helpful in guiding decision making and reinforcing good habits,” Tobin said.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 26, 2026
Spades can be extremely intimidating to start as a beginner playing with pros.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 23, 2026
Number tenner, and a grinner, a bleep bloop blinner, that's not a word but I'm a beginner, not like Patty, Patty's a winner, wih-winner.
From "Sunny" by Jason Reynolds
Effort: It’s an hourlong full-body workout that, for beginners, can be a bit more intense on the hands and wrists; the gear can be hot and take some getting used to.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
For beginners, the NHS Couch to 5K programme offers a free nine-week plan designed to gradually build fitness and help people run five kilometres without stopping.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Many accounts are focused on offering financial advice to beginners who have no money-management experience.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
The small class size — no more than seven students — allows for plenty of one-on-one instruction, and the patient, encouraging teaching style made the experience enjoyable even for beginners.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
It is included here because it looks like one, which can cause confusion for beginners.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
