Standard Lemma guide

Johnny-come-lately

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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

Pronunciation

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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌdʒɒni.kʌmˈleɪtli/
  • US: /ˌdʒɑːni.kʌmˈleɪtli/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A newcomer; a novice; an upstart.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: also, attributive, idiomatic

Examples

  • She might take offense if some Johnny-come-lately thinks he can do a better job.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: greenhorn, newcomer, novice, blow-in, come-here, comeling, entrant, FOB, fresh meat, freshie, greener, incomer, Johnny-come-lately, Johnny Raw, new chum, newbie, newling, offcomer, outcomeling, stranger, abecedarian, alphabetarian, apprentice, amateur, beginner, bun, colt, first-timer, fledgling, FNG, freshman, greenie, homo novus, inceptor, initiate, learner, neophyte, newb, newbro, newfag, newfriend, noob, n00b, novitiate, nozzer, nub, nubcake, puny, pup, probationer, probationist, probie, recruit, rookie, tenderfoot, trainee, tyro, tyrone, younker

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Alternative form of Johnny-come-lately.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: keltanokka — newcomer
  • Finnish: märkäkorva — newcomer
  • Polish: nowicjusz — newcomer
  • Polish: nowicjuszka — newcomer
  • Polish: żółtodziób — newcomer
  • Portuguese: novato — newcomer
  • Portuguese: recém-chegado — newcomer
  • Russian: новичок (novičok) — newcomer
  • Russian: новенький (novenʹkij) — newcomer
  • Russian: новенькая (novenʹkaja) — newcomer
  • Spanish: novato — newcomer
  • Spanish: novata — newcomer
  • Swedish: uppkomling — newcomer