neophyte

American  

[nee-uh-fahyt] / ˈni əˌfaɪt /

noun

• neophytes
  plural

1. a beginner or novice.

   He's a neophyte at chess.

   Synonyms:

   tyro, greenhorn

2. Roman Catholic Church. a novice.

3. a person newly converted to a belief, as a heathen, heretic, or nonbeliever; proselyte.

4. Primitive Church. a person newly baptized.

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neophyte British  

/ ˈniːəʊˌfaɪt /

noun

1. a person newly converted to a religious faith

2. RC Church a novice in a religious order

3. a novice or beginner

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• neophytism
  noun
• neophytic
  adjective
• neophytish
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• neophytes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of neophyte

First recorded in 1540–50; from Late Latin neophytus “newly planted,” from Greek neóphytos; see neo-, -phyte

Explanation

A neophyte is someone who's brand new at something. You're a neophyte the first time you pick up a guitar and start learning to play. Neo- means new, and -phyte is from the Greek phuton, "plant" — like a baby plant, a neophyte is someone who is new to an activity. In Greek, neophytos (literally "newly planted") was used to refer to a new church convert. A political neophyte is someone who is newly elected and comes to Washington D.C. not understanding how the game of politics is played. A Frisbee neophyte is someone who has just thrown the disc for the first time.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

neophyte neophytes

The race immediately became a test of whether Trump’s backing could help Graham, a political neophyte known to voters only because of her last name, win a primary election in the deep-red state.

From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026

And unlike many wealthy self-funders, Steyer did not leap into a campaign as a political neophyte who assumed their business skills would translate into being an effective elected official.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026

Ramaswamy burst onto the national political scene in 2023 as a neophyte with a knack for using social media and podcast appearances to bolster his image.

From BBC ● May 5, 2026

David Calder is no travel neophyte, having visited more than 30 countries for work and fun.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026

Although neophyte writers may repeat a simple sentence structure to the point of inanity, most writers go to the opposite extreme and vary their syntax capriciously.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

He needed to roar about his many accomplishments in his 35-year career in Sacramento and Washington, to distinguish himself from the relative political neophytes around him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026

Key to their transformation has been the crypto sector, where they were all neophytes a few years ago, but now run businesses that raised billions of dollars from investors before the market turned sour.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 8, 2026

So we figured that even as total neophytes, there was a chance we could make a coin that would go to the moon.

From Slate ● Mar. 28, 2025

They saved money by hiring neophytes and then letting them go once they got enough experience to demand a larger salary.

From Salon ● Dec. 19, 2024

They too, like the ever increasing neophytes of Pierron, are called "praying Indians."

From The Life and Times of Kateri Tekakwitha The Lily of the Mohawks by Ellen H. Walworth

Related Words

• newcomer
• novice