What does "rookie" mean?

1. (a beginner) someone who is new to a job or activity and lacks experience. 2. (first-year athlete) an athlete who is in their first year of playing a professional sport. 3. (inexperienced) describing a mistake or behavior that shows you are new and inexperienced. 4. (to be a beginner) to spend time as a beginner or to go through your first year of training.

rookie

n. · adj. · v.

US //ˈɹʊki// UK //ɹˈʊki// rook·ie

1 a beginner (n.)
B1 Intermediate Informal

someone who is new to a job or activity and lacks experience.

a person who is new to an organization or activity; a novice or recruit.

Example

The older officers gave the rookie some advice on his first day at the station.

Example

Despite being a rookie in the marketing department, she proposed a strategy that outperformed the veteran team's expectations.
- novice
- beginner
- newbie
- veteran
- expert
2 first-year athlete (n.)
B1 Intermediate American English Sport

an athlete who is in their first year of playing a professional sport.

a professional athlete in their first season of competition within a specific league.

Example

The rookie scored three goals in his very first game for the team.

Example

The league named him Rookie of the Year after he broke several long-standing records during his debut season.
- freshman
- pro
- veteran

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3 inexperienced (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

describing a mistake or behavior that shows you are new and inexperienced.

characteristic of a beginner; often used to describe errors resulting from a lack of experience.

Example

Forgetting to save your work is a rookie mistake that most people only make once.

Example

The negotiator made a rookie error by revealing his maximum budget before the discussions had even properly commenced.
- amateur
- unprofessional
- professional
- seasoned
4 to be a beginner (v.)
C2 Proficiency Informal Slang

to spend time as a beginner or to go through your first year of training.

to serve as a rookie or undergo an initial period of professional inexperience.

Example

He spent two years rookieing in the minor leagues before getting his big break.

Example

The documentary follows several young pilots as they rookie through their first high-pressure assignments in the air force.

Origin

Thought to be an alteration of recruit + -ie, or from rook (“a cheat”) + -ie. Another possible origin is Dutch broekie (short for broekvent (“a boy still in short trousers”)), a common term for a shipmate. Also suggested is Irish rúca (“an inexperienced person”).