novice

Definitions

From Latin novicius, 'newly arrived,' from novus (new). It began as a religious term — a novice was someone newly admitted to a monastery, not yet a full member. That convent sense survives, but in everyday English the word generalized to any beginner still learning the ropes.

Common Collocations

• 1.a complete novice十足的新手
• 2.novice driver新手司机
• 3.novice investor新手投资者
• 4.relative novice相对的新手

Example Sentences

• 1.

  As a complete novice, she found the software hard to use.

• 2.

  Even a novice can follow these simple cooking steps.

• 3.

  The novice spent a year in the monastery before taking vows.

Easily Confused

novice vs beginner vs amateur — novice and beginner both mean 'new and inexperienced,' nearly interchangeable, though novice is slightly more formal. amateur is different: it stresses 'not professional / unpaid,' not necessarily inexperienced — a skilled amateur photographer is no novice.