Greenhorn: meaning, definitions and examples

๐ŸŒฑ
Add to dictionary

greenhorn

 

[ หˆษกriหnhษ”หrn ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

newcomer

A greenhorn is a person who is new or inexperienced in a particular activity or field. It often refers to someone who lacks knowledge or skill in a specific area.

Synonyms

beginner, newbie, novice, rookie.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

arrow down
Word Description / Examples
greenhorn

This term is typically used to describe someone who is new to a particular activity or field and is often perceived as naive or inexperienced. It can have a slightly negative connotation.

  • The greenhorn made a lot of mistakes on his first day at work.
  • Don't worry, everyone was a greenhorn at some point.
novice

This formal term is used to describe a person who is new to an activity and still learning. It is mostly neutral and is often used in formal or professional contexts.

  • As a novice chess player, she studied various strategies to improve.
  • The course is designed for novices in digital marketing.
rookie

This term is often used in sports contexts to describe someone in their first year or season. It can also be used more generally to refer to someone new at a job or activity. It's generally neutral but can sometimes imply a lack of experience.

  • The rookie scored his first goal in last night's game.
  • Our team hired a rookie programmer fresh out of college.
beginner

This is a neutral term used to describe someone who is just starting out with a skill, activity, or field. It doesn't carry any negative or positive connotations.

  • She is a beginner at playing the piano.
  • This class is perfect for beginners.
newbie

This informal term is commonly used to describe someone new to an activity or community, particularly in online settings or gaming. It is usually neutral but can sometimes be patronizing.

  • I'm a newbie to this forum, so please be kind.
  • He's a newbie to the game and still learning the controls.

Examples of usage

  • He's a greenhorn when it comes to fishing, but he's eager to learn.
  • The greenhorn had a lot to learn about the company's policies and procedures.
  • She felt like a greenhorn in the world of finance, but she was determined to succeed.

Translations

Translations of the word "greenhorn" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น novato

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคจเคตเคธเคฟเค–เฅเค†

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Anfรคnger

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ pendatang baru

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฝะพะฒะฐั‡ะพะบ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ nowicjusz

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๅˆๅฟƒ่€… (ใ—ใ‚‡ใ—ใ‚“ใ—ใ‚ƒ)

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท dรฉbutant

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ novato

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท รงaylak

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์ดˆ๋ณด์ž (choboja)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู…ุจุชุฏุฆ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ novรกฤek

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ novรกฤik

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๆ–ฐๆ‰‹ (xฤซnshว’u)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ novinec

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ byrjandi

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะถะฐาฃะฐะดะฐะฝ ะบะตะปะณะตะฝ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒแƒฎแƒแƒšแƒ‘แƒ”แƒ“แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ yeni gษ™lษ™n

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ novato

Etymology

The term 'greenhorn' originated in the 17th century, derived from the combination of 'green' (inexperienced) and 'horn' (a metaphorical reference to a projection of the animal's head, symbolizing a newcomer). It was originally used in reference to young cattle with small horns. Over time, the term evolved to describe inexperienced individuals in various fields.

See also: evergreen, green, greenback, greenbacks, greenery, greenhouse, greenness, greens, greenstone, greensward.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #35,371, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.