Definition

Noun: 1. The period of being a novice: Specifically refers to the time during which a person is a novice, particularly in a religious context such as a monastery or convent. This is a formal term for a probationary or training period. 2. The state or condition of being a novice: Can also refer to the status itself.

Examples of Usage

• The young woman entered the convent and began her noviciate, a year dedicated to prayer and study.
• The noviciate is designed to test one's commitment to the religious life before taking final vows.
• During his noviciate, he learned the rules and traditions of the monastic order.

Advanced Usage

• "to complete one's noviciate": To finish the required period of training and probation.
  • After she completed her noviciate, she was admitted as a full member of the sisterhood.

Variants and Related Words

• Novitiate (noun): This is the more common and preferred spelling in modern English for both the period and the place of training. "Noviciate" is a less common variant.
• Novice (noun): A person who is new to and inexperienced in a job or situation; a beginner. In a religious context, it is the person undergoing the noviciate.
  • The novice spent her novitiate in quiet reflection.

Synonyms

• Apprenticeship
• Probation
• Training period
• Initiation

Related Phrases

• Period of trial: A phrase emphasizing the testing nature of the time.
• Time of formation: A phrase sometimes used in religious contexts to describe the developmental aspect of the noviciate.

Noun

1. the period during which you are a novice (especially in a religious order)