ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rookies

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɹʊkiz// UK //ɹˈʊkɪz// rook·ies

n. people who are new to a job, sport, or activity and do not have much experience yet. You often use this to describe beginners who are still learning the basics.

n. individuals who are new to a profession, sport, or specific activity and lack significant experience. Often used in professional or athletic contexts to distinguish beginners from veterans.


SIMPLE

The team has several talented rookies this season.

CONTEXTUAL

Even though they were rookies, the new recruits handled the emergency with the calm of seasoned professionals.

COMPLEX

The veteran officers were tasked with mentoring the rookies to ensure that the department's standard operating procedures were followed strictly during the high-pressure transition period.

Synonyms
Usage

Commonly used in North American English; often functions as a modifier before another noun (e.g., 'rookie mistake').

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