neophyte
pronunciation
How to pronounce neophyte in British English:
UK [ˈni:əfaɪt]
How to pronounce neophyte in American English:
US [ˈniəˌfaɪt]
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- Noun:
- a plant that is found in an area where it had not been recorded previously
- any new participant in some activity
- a new convert being taught the principles of Christianity by a catechist
Word Origin
- neophyte
- neophyte: [16] Neophyte is one of an evergrowing family of English words containing the prefix neo-, which comes from Greek néos ‘new’ (a relative of English new). Most of them are English formations (neoclassical [19], Neolithic [19], neologism [18], neonatal [20], neoplatonism [19], etc), but neophyte goes back to a Greek compound, neóphutos, which meant literally ‘newly planted’. Also derived from Greek néos is the name of the gas neon [19], so called in 1898 because it was ‘newly’ discovered.=> neon, new
- neophyte (n.)
- "new convert," 1550s, from Church Latin neophytus, from Greek neophytos "a new convert," noun use of adjective meaning "newly initiated, newly converted," literally "newly planted," from neos "new" (see new) + phytos "grown; planted," verbal adjective of phyein "cause to grow, beget, plant" (see physic). Church sense is from I Tim. iii:6. Rare before 19c. General sense of "one who is new to any subject" is first recorded 1590s.
Example
- 1. For a neophyte unnatural will never get beyond personal amusement uke player .
- 2. While I was not a global neophyte , I had never set foot in asia .
- 3. At the time , her selection by republican presidential candidate john mccain drew controversy because she was a relative neophyte on the political scene .
- 4. Renho is a political neophyte .
- 5. While I was not a global neophyte I had never set foot in asia .