Novice
/ˈnɒv.ɪs/noun
A person new to a subject, skill, or activity.
Did you know?Novice comes through Old French from Latin novicius, meaning “new” or “fresh,” and it originally referred to a newcomer in a religious community before becoming a general word for beginners.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*newo-
“new, fresh”
Latin
Latin
novus
“new”
Latin
Latin
novicius
“new, inexperienced; a newcomer, especially to a religious life”
Old French
Old French
novice
“a newcomer, especially a person newly admitted to a religious order”
Middle English
English
novice
“a beginner, especially in a craft, profession, or religious life”
Modern English
English
novice
“a person new to a subject, skill, or activity”