beginner
nounUK /bɪˈɡɪnə/ · US /bəˈɡɪnɚ/
Etymology From Middle English begynner, equivalent to begin + -er. Cognate with West Frisian begjinner (“beginner”), Dutch beginner (“beginner”), Low German begünner (“beginner”), Danish nybegynder (“beginner, novice”, literally “new-beginner”).
1
Someone who is just starting at something, or has only recently started.
- I'm new to learning Finnish: I'm just a beginner.
2
Someone who sets something in motion.
- The beginner of the games lit the ceremonial torch.
3
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Theater An actor who is present on stage in the first moments of a play.
- On the stage, the beginners for the first piece had taken their places — the chorus were there, scared but determined, and in the wings waited Harlequin, in the person of Charles Lyall […]1949, Walter Macqueen-Pope, Gaiety: Theatre of Enchantment, page 60:
- Synonyms
49 terms
amateur, newbie, abecedarian, alphabetarian, apprentice, beginner, bun, colt, first-timer, fledgling, FNG, fresh meat, freshman, greenhorn, greenie, greener, homo novus, inceptor, initiate, Johnny-come-lately, learner, neophyte, newb, newbro, new chum, newcomer, newfag, newfriend, newling, noob, n00b, novice, novitiate, nozzer, nub, nubcake, puny, pup, probationer, probationist, probie, recruit, stranger, rookie, tenderfoot, trainee, tyro, tyrone, younker- Antonyms
- campaigner, cognoscente, connoisseur, expert, journeyman, knowbie, master, maven, old hand, old sweat, oldbie, oldtimer, skilled person, specialist, trouper, veteran
- Derived terms
- beginnerish, beginner slope, beginner's trap, prebeginner
- Related terms
- new, naive, inexperienced, unskilled person
- Hypernyms
- person
- Hyponyms
- baby gay, baby queer, baby trans, catechumen, cheechako, debutante, fanling, fresher, frosh, Johnny Raw, landlubber, neofan, neo, new bug, novi, punter, rick, sprog, teejay