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Synonyms

rookie

American  
[rook-ee] / ˈrʊk i /

noun

  1. an athlete playing their first season as a member of a professional sports team.

    The rookie replaced the injured regular at first base.

  2. a raw recruit, as in the army or on a police force.

  3. a novice; tyro.

rookie British  
/ ˈrʊkɪ /

noun

  1. informal an inexperienced person or newcomer, esp a raw recruit in the army

"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

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.

Etymology

Origin of rookie

1890–95; alteration of recruit; see -y 2

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."

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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.

Last season was a learning curve for Antonelli, who finished a solid seventh in the standings as a rookie.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

A 1997 Kobe Bryant Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems rookie trading card with a metallic green background sold for a record amount.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2026

So if a player gets picked a few slots lower than expected, he could lose out on a few million dollars over the life of his rookie contract.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

Last year, they traded for a late first-round selection to nab quarterback Jaxson Dart, who showed promise as a rookie.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

The only problem with this rearrangement was a rule which said no rookie could stay in the command module by himself.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

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.