1. people who are new to a religious order and are in training to become full members
Usage: religious context
2. beginners or newcomers in any field or activity
Usage: general usage

Examples

• The monastery welcomed twelve new novitiates this year.
• The novitiates spent their days in prayer and study.
• These novitiates in the medical field need extensive training.
• The cooking class was filled with eager novitiates.
• The novitiates learned the basic rules of their religious order.
• As novitiates, they were not yet allowed to take final vows.