Added 9 October 2026
novice
/ˈnɒvɪs/ noun
Latin root: novīcius Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about novice at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
A beginner; one who is not very familiar or experienced in a particular subject. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
I'm only a novice at coding, so my programs frequently have bugs that more experienced programmers would avoid.
- A new member of a religious order accepted on a conditional basis, prior to confirmation.
adjective
- Of a beginner; unfamiliar or unexperienced in a particular subject.
Origin
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”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)