novitiate

American  

[noh-vish-ee-it, -eyt] / noʊˈvɪʃ i ɪt, -ˌeɪt /

Or noviciate

noun

1. the state or period of being a novice of a religious order or congregation.

2. the quarters occupied by religious novices during probation.

3. the state or period of being a beginner in anything.

4. a novice.

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novitiate British  

/ -ˌeɪt, nəʊˈvɪʃɪɪt /

noun

1. the state of being a novice, esp in a religious order, or the period for which this lasts

2. the part of a religious house where the novices live

3. a less common word for novice

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Etymology

Origin of novitiate

1590–1600; < Medieval Latin, equivalent to novīti ( us ) novice + -ātus -ate ³

Example Sentences

Novitiate phase: Takes two years - one year of canonical novitiate and one year of apostolic novitiate.

From Washington Times • Oct. 20, 2018

We’re here to talk about her role in Novitiate, a drama that premiered earlier this year at Sundance.

From The Guardian • Oct. 26, 2017

A story of unheralded women of a different sort is told in the period convent drama "Novitiate," for which Betts won a special prize for breakthrough director in U.S. dramatic.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2017

He began his studies at the Jesuits' St. Isaac Jogues Novitiate in Wernersville, Pa., went on to Woodstock College in Maryland, was ordained in June 1956.

From Time Magazine Archive

Gerard into the Novitiate xvi, praises Father Gerard's behaviour after the Powder Plot cclxi.

From The Condition of Catholics Under James I. by Gerard, John