rookie

/ˈrʊki/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈrʊki/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈru̇-kē/ (ame, mw)

rookie — noun

  • rookiesingular
  • rookiesplural

1. someone who has only recently started a job, a sport, or another activity, and t

1.名詞B1
釋義

someone who has only recently started a job, a sport, or another activity, and therefore still lacks experience and skill at it.

例句

The company assigns each rookie a mentor during the first three months.

noun used as modifier before a noun phrase

Obi made a few rookie mistakes on his first day at the lab.

collocation: rookie mistake

同義詞
  • beginner

    broader term; applies to someone learning any skill, not necessarily new to a whole job or activity

  • novice

    slightly more formal than rookie; often used for religion (a novice monk) or skill levels

  • newcomer

    emphasises recent arrival rather than lack of experience; can apply to a city or group

  • greenhorn

    informal and slightly dated; often suggests the person is naive, not just new

反義詞
  • veteran

    someone with long experience; opposite of rookie in work and sports

  • expert

    someone with deep knowledge or skill; broader than veteran

文法句型

a + rookie

rookie + noun (modifier)

plural: rookies

用法筆記

Commonly used before a noun as a modifier, such as rookie officer, rookie teacher, or rookie driver. The informal synonym 'greenhorn' is less frequent in modern usage.

常見錯誤

❌He is a rookie worker who has ten years of experience.
✅He is a rookie worker who has only six months of experience.
💡A rookie must lack experience; the word does not fit someone seasoned.
❌The company hired three new rookie employees.
✅The company hired three new employees, all of them rookies.
💡'New' and 'rookie' overlap; use one or restructure.

2. a player who is competing in their debut season at the professional level of a s

2.名詞B1
釋義

a player who is competing in their debut season at the professional level of a sport, such as baseball, basketball, or American football.

例句

Sayaka played well for a rookie and scored twelve points in her debut game.

prepositional phrase: for a rookie

The team selected Jack as this season's rookie of the month.

noun phrase: Rookie of the Month

同義詞
  • first-year player

    literal equivalent; less punchy but equally clear

  • debutant

    more formal and broader; used in non-sport contexts too (e.g. social debut)

  • fledgling

    literary or journalistic; suggests the person is just starting out, not limited to sports

反義詞
  • veteran

    player with several seasons of experience; the standard opposite in sports journalism

文法句型

a + rookie

rookie + noun (modifier)

adjective + rookie

用法筆記

Most frequent in North American professional sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL), where the title Rookie of the Year is awarded annually. In British English, newcomer or debutant is more common for sports.

常見錯誤

❌He is a rookie who has played in the league for five seasons.
✅He is a rookie who just finished his first season in the league.
💡A rookie, by definition, is in their first year or season.
❌She is a rookie player in her third year on the team.
✅She is in her third year on the team, so she is no longer a rookie.
💡After one full season, the term no longer applies.