Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who is new to a field, activity, or skill; a beginner: A novice lacks experience and is in the early stages of learning or doing something.
   • A person who has entered a religious order but has not yet taken final vows: In a religious context, a novice is a new member undergoing a period of training and probation before full commitment.

Examples of Usage

• General Beginner:
  • As a complete novice in the kitchen, she burned the toast.
  • The course is designed for novices with no prior knowledge of coding.
• Religious Context:
  • She spent two years as a novice before taking her final vows as a nun.
  • The monastery welcomed three new novices this year.

Advanced Usage

• "novice at/in something": Used to specify the area in which someone is a beginner.
  • He is still a novice at sailing.
  • I'm a complete novice in matters of finance.
• "novice mistake": A typical error made by someone who is inexperienced.
  • Forgetting to save your work is a classic novice mistake.

Variants and Related Words

• Novitiate (noun): The period or state of being a novice, especially in a religious order. It can also refer to the building where novices live.
  • He is currently in his novitiate.
• Novice-level (adjective): Describing something suitable for beginners.
  • This is a novice-level tutorial.

Synonyms

• Beginner: A person just starting to learn a skill or subject.
• Newcomer: A person who has recently arrived or started participating.
• Tyro: A beginner or novice (slightly more formal/literary).
• Trainee: A person undergoing training for a job or skill.
• Apprentice: A person learning a trade from a skilled employer.

Antonyms

• Expert: A person with extensive knowledge or skill.
• Veteran: A person with long experience in a particular field.
• Master: A person highly skilled in a particular art or activity.
• Professional: A person engaged in a specified activity as one's main paid occupation.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Baptism of fire": A difficult first experience that tests a novice.
  • His first day as a teacher was a real baptism of fire.
• "Learn the ropes": To learn the basics of a job or activity.
  • The new intern is still learning the ropes.

Noun

1. someone new to a field or activity
2. someone who has entered a religious order but has not taken final vows