Meaning

A beginner; a person who is new to a subject, skill, or belief..

Definitions by Sense

1. A beginner; a person who is new to a subject, skill, or belief.
2. A novice (recent convert); a new convert or proselyte; a new monk.
3. (Christianity) Among the early Christians, and still among the Roman Catholics, one who has recently embraced the Christian faith, and been admitted to baptism, especially those converts from heathenism or Judaism.
4. (botany) A plant species recently introduced to an area (in contrast to archaeophyte, a long-established introduced species).

Example Sentences

A convert's enthusiasm for his new religion is greater than that of a person who is born in it. Vegetarianism was then a new cult in England, and likewise for me, because, as we have seen, I had gone there a convinced meat-eater, and was intellectually converted to vegetarianism later. Full of the neophyte's zeal for vegetarianism, I decided to start a vegetarian club in my locality, Bayswater.

In this scene Lupita, the neophyte, is counselled by more weathered professionals about the rules and regulations of whoring.

[…]everyone has to own the floors of whoever you vote for, whether they are a lying handsy narcissistic sociopath[…] or a conspiracy-pandering political neophyte with no clear understanding of how government operates and who once recorded this folk rap about the virtues of bicycling.

The big story on Tuesday night was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – the 28-year-old political neophyte who pulled off the upset of the 2018 election in New York’s 14th district.

The purpose of sharing these accounts – particularly during Women’s History Month – is to show that women, like men, can grow from bumbling neophytes to competent leaders.

The neophyte was given a new name in place of the baptismal one, usually of an evil and revolting character, and this was written in blood in the Devil's book, the covers of which were bound in the skin of unbaptised infants.

Word Forms

• neophytes

Synonyms for neophyte

Antonyms for neophyte

Related Words

When Should You Use Neophyte?

Use neophyte when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

Practice This Word

Frequently Asked Questions