Neophyte
An inexperienced person; a novice.
nounNeophyte
An inexperienced person; a novice.
nounImagine This
A young boy who has never used a computer goes to a computer camp. He is put into the novice group, nicknamed 'Neo Bytes'.
Sounds Like
NEE-oh-fyt
Looks Like
Neo + byte (a new data unit), suggesting 'new' + tech
Remember This
Neo- means new; neoplasm is a 'new growth' in the body. The word neophyte originally referred to a 'newly planted' person.
Other Forms
Connect With
novice, beginner, tyro, rookie, apprentice
Note
Use neophyte for someone newly initiated in a field. It carries a formal tone and is less casual than 'novice' or 'newcomer'; it is often used in academic or literary contexts.
Study Deeper
- The neophyte coder asked numerous questions as she began learning Python.
- As a neophyte in the sculpting class, he practiced basic shapes before attempting complex forms.
From Greek neophytos, from neos 'new' + phytos 'plant' (the sense of a 'newly planted' person).
Neo = new; phyte sounds like 'plant' — neophyte = a 'new plant' in a field, i.e., someone just starting to learn.
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Bombast
nounPompous, inflated speech or writing that is meant to impress but often lacks substance.
Uneven
adjectiveNot level or smooth; lacking uniformity in form, texture, or distribution, and can also describe inconsistent or irregular performance.
Fallacious
adjectiveDeceptive; based on or characterized by a fallacy; likely to mislead.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abasement
nounThe act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accent
nounA distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling
Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).