novice definition

English novice definition

Etymology

From Middle English novice, novys, from Anglo-Norman novice, Middle French novice, itself borrowed from Latin novīcius, later novitius (“new, newly arrived”) (in Late Latin as a noun, masculine novicius, feminine novicia (“one who has newly entered a monastery or a convent”)), from novus (“new”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈnɒvɪs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈnɑːvɪs/

Noun

novice (plural novices)

1. A beginner; one who is not very familiar or experienced in a particular subject. [from 14th c.]

   I'm only a novice at coding, and my programs frequently have bugs that more experienced programmers would avoid.

3. (religion) A new member of a religious order accepted on a conditional basis, prior to confirmation. [from 14th c.]
   • 1983, Lawrence Durrell, Sebastian, Faber & Faber 2004 (Avignon Quintet), page 1137:

     Nor had it been difficult to find a Coptic priest who, together with his youthful novice, chanted the seemingly interminable Egyptian service of the dead […]

Synonyms

• (person new to an activity): amateur, greenhorn, learner, neophyte, newbie, newling
• See also Thesaurus:beginner

Related terms

• novel
• novelization
• novelize
• novella
• novelty
• novitiate

Translations

Further reading

• novice in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• novice in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• novice at OneLook Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

• nocive

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French novice definition

Etymology

From Middle French novice, from Old French novice, borrowed from Late Latin novīcius, novīcia (“one who has newly entered a monastery or a convent”), from Latin novīcius, novītius (“new, newly arrived”), from novus (“new”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nɔ.vis/

Noun

novice m or f (plural novices)

1. beginner, novice

Adjective

novice (plural novices)

1. inexperienced

Further reading

• “novice”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

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Norman novice definition

Etymology

From Old French novice, borrowed from Late Latin novīcius, novīcia (“one who has newly entered a monastery or a convent”), from Latin novīcius, novītius (“new, newly arrived”), from novus (“new”).

Noun

novice m or f (plural novices)

1. (Jersey) novice

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Romanian novice definition

Etymology

From French novice.

Noun

novice m (plural novici)

1. novice

Declension