neophyte

American  

[nee-uh-fahyt] / ˈni əˌfaɪt /

noun

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  

/ ˌniːəʊˈfɪtɪk, 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

• neophytic adjective
• neophytish adjective
• neophytism noun

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

Carney tore up the rulebook, jumping from political neophyte to leading a G7 nation, and he is enjoying a lengthy honeymoon both in Canada and around the world as a globetrotting prime minister.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

How did a dusty old breakup lament become a hit for Francis, a neophyte?

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

But it may be enough to scare off a neophyte.

From Salon • Aug. 3, 2025

“When you start talking to me about geopolitics and all the things that go into that — I’m a neophyte, I don’t think I would be competent to do that.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2025

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

Related Words

• newcomer
• novice