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Among the ancient Romans, a novice (novicius) was usually a newly enslaved person, who had to be trained in his or her duties. Among Catholics and Buddhists, if you desire to become a priest, monk, or nun, you must serve as a novice for a period of time, often a year (called your novitiate), before being ordained or fully professing your vows. No matter what kind of novice you are—at computers, at writing, at politics, etc.—you've got a lot to learn.
Examples of novice in a Sentence
Novices serve time as scullery serfs as they work toward the privilege of trailing a pastry chef …
—
Guy Trebay, New York Times, 4 Sept. 2002
For the novice, walking the course also means being scared senseless by all the possibilities to screw up.
—Tim Keown, ESPN, 17 Sept. 2001
Yet it's obvious to him and everyone else who the novice is here, the book-learned tournament virgin.
—James McManus, Harper's, December 2000
Much defter than one would have thought possible from the length of her fingernails, Toula had no fear of high fast notes; her flair, mounted between Andrea's perfectionist reserve and Alice's novice awkwardness, seemed all too displayed.
—John Updike, The Afterlife, 1994
He's a novice in cooking.
a book for the novice chess player
Guy Trebay, New York Times, 4 Sept. 2002
For the novice, walking the course also means being scared senseless by all the possibilities to screw up.
—Tim Keown, ESPN, 17 Sept. 2001
Yet it's obvious to him and everyone else who the novice is here, the book-learned tournament virgin.
—James McManus, Harper's, December 2000
Much defter than one would have thought possible from the length of her fingernails, Toula had no fear of high fast notes; her flair, mounted between Andrea's perfectionist reserve and Alice's novice awkwardness, seemed all too displayed.
—John Updike, The Afterlife, 1994
He's a novice in cooking.
a book for the novice chess player
Recent Examples on the Web
Democrats in Maine, meanwhile, have nominated Graham Platner, a political novice whose grassroots campaign and brash communication style propelled him to a decisive victory over the state’s Democratic governor, Janet Mills, who remained on the ballot but suspended her campaign in April.
—Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
From the drop point, even novices can safely kayak down a seven-mile portion of the river over Class II rapids.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 June 2026
The race provided voters in the Cotton State a unique choice between Moore, who leaned on his political experience against Hudson, a political novice.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 16 June 2026
All this can be done in 3 simple steps, and novices can easily use this tool and leverage the free scan and preview.
—New Atlas, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for novice
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Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
From the drop point, even novices can safely kayak down a seven-mile portion of the river over Class II rapids.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 June 2026
The race provided voters in the Cotton State a unique choice between Moore, who leaned on his political experience against Hudson, a political novice.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 16 June 2026
All this can be done in 3 simple steps, and novices can easily use this tool and leverage the free scan and preview.
—New Atlas, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for novice
Cite this Entry
“Novice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/novice. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
novice
noun
nov·ice
ˈnäv-əs 
1
: a new member of a religious order who is preparing to take the vows of religion
2
: a person who has no previous experience with something
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