Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
name
A census-designated place in Plumas County, California, United States.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An inexperienced person; a novice, beginner, or newcomer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: abecedarian, alphabetarian, apprentice, amateur, beginner, bun, colt, first-timer, fledgling, FNG, fresh meat, freshman, greenhorn, greenie, greener, homo novus, inceptor, initiate, Johnny-come-lately, learner, neophyte, newbie, 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: none provided
noun
A Portuguese person.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ethnic, offensive, slur
Qualifier: chiefly Massachusetts
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
an awkward and inexperienced youth
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: cub, rookie
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: novice, beginner, tyro, tiro, initiate
History
Inherited from Middle English grene horn, which is attested for “horn of a recently killed animal” and as the name of a horse. It may also have been used of young horned animals. In all cases “green” refers to the idea of “fresh, young, recent”, taken from plants and used in Middle English for all kinds of things irrespective of their colour, e.g. wounds, leather, fish, cheese (see green cheese). Figurative use for people dates from the 17th century. Compare semantically German Grünschnabel (literally “green-beak”). By surface analysis, green + horn.
Across languages
45 source translations are retained for this English entry.
