Wiktionary

beginner

English

edit

Etymology

edit

From Middle English begynner, equivalent to begin +‎ -er. Cognate with West Frisian begjinner (“beginner”), Dutch beginner (“beginner”), Low German begünner (“beginner”), Danish nybegynder (“beginner, novice”, literally “new-beginner”).

Pronunciation

edit

Noun

edit

beginner (plural beginners)

  1. Someone who is just starting at something, or has only recently started.
    I'm new to learning Finnish: I'm just a beginner.
  2. Someone who sets something in motion.
    The beginner of the games lit the ceremonial torch.
  3. (theater) An actor who is present on stage in the first moments of a play.
    • 1949, Walter Macqueen-Pope, Gaiety: Theatre of Enchantment, page 60:
      On the stage, the beginners for the first piece had taken their places — the chorus were there, scared but determined, and in the wings waited Harlequin, in the person of Charles Lyall […]

Synonyms

edit

Derived terms

edit

Translations

edit
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Further reading

edit

Anagrams

edit

Dutch

edit

Etymology

edit

From beginnen +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

edit

Noun

edit

beginner m (plural beginners, diminutive beginnertje n)

  1. Someone who is just starting something, or has only recently started (similar to English)
    Hij kan goed schaken voor een beginner. ― He plays chess well for a beginner.

Derived terms

edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=beginner&oldid=80239563"