neophyte

noun

1 a neophyte of the monastery of St. James:

novice, novitiate;

postulant, proselyte, catechumen.

2 four-day cooking classes are offered to neophytes and experts alike:

beginner, learner, novice, newcomer, new member, new entrant, new recruit, raw recruit, new boy/girl, initiate, tyro, fledgling;

trainee, apprentice, probationer;

informal rookie, new kid, newbie, newie;

North American, informal tenderfoot, greenhorn, punk.