trainee

American  

[trey-nee] / treɪˈni /

noun

1. a person being trained, especially in a vocation; apprentice.

2. an enlisted person undergoing military training.

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trainee British  

/ treɪˈniː /

noun

1. 1. a person undergoing training

   2. ( as modifier )

      a trainee journalist

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Etymology

Origin of trainee

First recorded in 1840–50; train + -ee

Explanation

If you're a trainee, you're being taught to do a new job. If you're hired at your local grocery store, you'll likely spend some time as a trainee before you're allowed to work the cash register on your own. Whenever someone goes through training, especially for a new job or skill, they can be called a trainee. If you're learning a new computer coding language, you might be a Python or Java trainee. And if you're in your first week at a coffee shop job, you're probably still a barista trainee. Trainee dates back to the mid-19th century, from the verb train, "instruct."

Example Sentences

Like many doctors, Jenna Crosbie, a trainee GP in north Wales, would have been at a loss as to why a patient like Bethany Norman would refuse steroid creams.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

A gladiator, it seems, moved up the ranks—often through training and victories in the arena—“like a trainee orator moving from imaginary speeches to those of the courtroom.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The convenience of modern life is “seductive,” writes Dr. Alex Curmi, a psychiatrist and trainee psychotherapist, for The Guardian.

From Salon • Mar. 3, 2026

Typically it takes about two years for a trainee to debut, and even then only 60% of them make it, according to the report.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

Dad was telling Mum a funny story about how his boss Craig Salt'd let Dad's trainee Danny Lawlor drive Craig Salt's DeLorean sportscar round a go-karting track on a team-building weekend.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

Related Words

• apprentice
• cadet
• learner
• pupil