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Webster 1913 Edition

Novice

Nov′ice

,
Noun.
[F., from L.
novicius
,
novitius
, new, from
novus
new. See
New
, and cf.
Novitious
.]
1.
One who is new in any business, profession, or calling; one unacquainted or unskilled; one yet in the rudiments; a beginner; a tyro.
I am young; a
novice
in the trade.
Dryden.
2.
One newly received into the church, or one newly converted to the Christian faith.
1 Tim. iii. 6.
3.
(Eccl.)
One who enters a religious house, whether of monks or nuns, as a probationist.
Shipley.
No poore cloisterer, nor no
novys
.
Chaucer.

Nov′ice

,
Adj.
Like a novice; becoming a novice.
[Obs.]

Webster 1828 Edition

Novice

NOV'ICE

,
Noun.
[L. from new.]
1.
One who is new in any business; one unacquainted or unskilled; one in the rudiments; a beginner.
I am young, a novice in the trade.
2.
One that has entered a religious house but has not taken the vow; a probationer.
3.
One newly planted in the church, or one newly converted to the Christian faith. 1 Timothy 3.

Definition 2025

novice

novice

English

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 wouldn't make.
  2. (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

Related terms

Translations

French

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”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /nɔ.vis/

Noun

novice m, f ‎(plural novices)

  1. beginner, novice

Adjective

novice m, f ‎(plural novices)

  1. inexperienced

Norman

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, f ‎(plural novices)

  1. (Jersey) novice

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman novice, Middle French novice, 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/

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