rookie
noun
an athlete playing their first season as a member of a professional sports team.
rookies
-
pluralof rookie.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
A 6-foot-10 point guard, Simmons was NBA Rookie of the Year in 2017-2018, joining Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson as the only rookies to reach 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 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
Any fears about fielding rookies for the most pressure packed event in the women's game were proven unfounded in her team's thrilling 15-13 victory at Bernardus Golf last weekend.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
LSU football coach Lane Kiffin has faced backlash for his plan to add former NFL rookies to the team’s roster.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
But the pilots of the fighter squadron decided they’d have a bit of fun with the rookies.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
