English Reference
noun

trainee

n.
US /ˈtɹeɪˈni/ UK /tɹˈeɪniː/ trainee UK spelling trainee's, trainee's

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    someone who is learning how to do a job while they are working there.

    an individual undergoing a period of formal training or apprenticeship within a workplace to acquire specific professional skills.

    Simple

    The new trainee spent his first week watching how the senior staff handled customers.

    In context

    The law firm typically recruits twenty trainees each autumn, putting them through a rigorous two-year rotation across various departments.

    Pitfall
    The company hired a new training. The company hired a new trainee.

    Use 'trainee' for the person being taught; 'training' refers to the process or the lessons themselves.

  2. 02 C2 Proficiency FormalTechnical Law

    a young person who is kept in a special school or center to learn better behavior after breaking the law.

    a juvenile offender detained in a reformatory or training school for the purpose of rehabilitation and vocational education.

    Simple

    The center provides the trainees with vocational skills to help them find work after their release.

    In context

    Legislative reforms in the mid-twentieth century sought to reclassify juvenile offenders as trainees to emphasize rehabilitation over purely punitive measures.


From train + -ee.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated