wet behind the ears

Cultural  

1. Immature, inexperienced, and naïve: “Don't rely on his advice about girlfriends; he's still wet behind the ears.”

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wet behind the ears Idioms  

1. Also, not dry behind the ears. Immature, inexperienced, as in How can you take instructions from Tom? He's still wet behind the ears, or Jane's not dry behind the ears yet. This term alludes to the fact that the last place to dry in a newborn colt or calf is the indentation behind its ears. [Early 1900s]

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Example Sentences

At just 22, Birmingham-born Lavender was still wet behind the ears in terms of his acting career.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2024

They were raw, wet behind the ears freshmen when the Tigers played for a national title and lost 45-40 to Alabama after the 2015 season.

From Washington Times • Jan. 3, 2019

These corrections officers are still a little wet behind the ears in a second season of the docu-series “Behind Bars: Rookie Year.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 19, 2016

He recalls legendary coach Chuck Noll telling the wet behind the ears crop of new talent that even though being paid to play made football their profession, it shouldn’t be their life.

From Forbes • Feb. 11, 2015

My parents speak to me like I’m a child too wet behind the ears to know anything about life.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

Related Words

• fresh
• new
• raw