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novitiate

or no·vi·ci·ate

[ noh-vish-ee-it, -eyt ]
/ noʊˈvɪʃ i ɪt, -ˌeɪt /
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noun
the state or period of being a novice of a religious order or congregation.
the quarters occupied by religious novices during probation.
the state or period of being a beginner in anything.
a novice.
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Origin of novitiate

1590–1600; <Medieval Latin, equivalent to novīti(us) novice + -ātus-ate3
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use novitiate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for novitiate

novitiate

noviciate

/ (nəʊˈvɪʃɪɪt, -ˌeɪt) /

noun
the state of being a novice, esp in a religious order, or the period for which this lasts
the part of a religious house where the novices live
a less common word for novice

Word Origin for novitiate

C17: from French noviciat, from Latin novīcius novice
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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