neophyte

[nee-uh-fahyt]

noun

1. a beginner or novice.

   He's a neophyte at chess.

   Synonyms: tyro, greenhorn

2. Roman Catholic Church.,  a novice.

3. a person newly converted to a belief, as a heathen, heretic, or nonbeliever; proselyte.

4. Primitive Church.,  a person newly baptized.

neophyte

/ ˌniːəʊˈfɪtɪk, ˈniːəʊˌfaɪt /

noun

1. a person newly converted to a religious faith

2. RC Church a novice in a religious order

3. a novice or beginner

Other Word Forms

• neophytic adjective
• neophytish adjective
• neophytism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of neophyte¹

First recorded in 1540–50; from Late Latin neophytus “newly planted,” from Greek neóphytos; neo-, -phyte

Word History and Origins

Origin of neophyte¹

C16: via Church Latin from New Testament Greek neophutos recently planted, from neos new + phuton a plant

Example Sentences

But it may be enough to scare off a neophyte.

From Salon

“When you start talking to me about geopolitics and all the things that go into that — I’m a neophyte, I don’t think I would be competent to do that.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Not to sound like some kind of neophyte, but I thought that when you choose to love someone, you love that person. You build a family with them and you trust them.”

From Los Angeles Times

The neophyte effects company bungled the pricing from the storyboards, however, not understanding they had to cut back several times to the same shots, sending the sequence 500% over budget.

From Salon

Ronald Hughes was supposed to be another puppet, a neophyte attorney who would be easily manipulated — or intimidated — to do whatever Charles Manson demanded.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• newcomer 
• novice