rookie
Americannoun
-
rookies
plural
-
an athlete playing their first season as a member of a professional sports team.
The rookie replaced the injured regular at first base.
-
a raw recruit, as in the army or on a police force.
-
a novice; tyro.
noun
Usage
What does Rookie of the Year mean? Rookie of the Year is an award given to an athlete judged most accomplished in the first season of their sport.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of rookie
Explanation
A rookie is someone who's new at something. The young football player who's just joined the NFL is a rookie, and if you just started your restaurant job yesterday, you're a rookie too. Police officers and members of the military also call recent recruits rookies. This word can also function as an adjective to describe something related to newbies — like a "rookie season" or a "rookie quarterback." The word's origin is a bit hazy, though it may come from the disparaging secondary meaning of rook, "a cheat," or more appropriately, "someone who's easily cheated."
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:
They carried rookie pinch-hitter Josue De Paula and pinch-runner/utility player Hyeseong Kim.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026
Then in the top of the seventh inning, the Dodgers loaded the bases with a single from Teoscar Hernández, a walk from pinch-hitting rookie Josue De Paula, and a five-pitch walk from Kyle Tucker.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
In their rookie days, he recalls, “Carson and I had this ongoing discussion: How do crimes get solved? Or real mysteries for that matter. By the book, by accretion of information—logically?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
The second-year forward is trying to take advantage of his first true NBA preseason after knee injuries marred his rookie season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
And like I said, Mr. Terupt was a rookie, so I knew he wasn’t going to catch me.
From "Because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea
The Chargers started four rookies on the offensive line, three of whom are backups.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
The crew of Mighty Mary was, indeed, a wonder—a quickly-assembled but deeply talented collection of vets and rookies who jelled into a world-class outfit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
"So many people said it was a bit of a risk having four rookies, but I was so impressed with them," Nordqvist said.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
LSU’s Lane Kiffin wants to add former NFL rookies to his roster, enraging the sport.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
Seems the gas station man was a real card and liked to welcome dumb rookies with his little practical joke.
From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli
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.
