The meaning of NOVICE is a person admitted to probationary membership in a religious community. How to use novice in a sentence. Did you know? NOVICE meaning: 1. a person who is not experienced in a job or situation: 2. a person who is training to be a monk…. Learn more. A novice is a person who is new or inexperienced in a certain field or activity, or who has entered a religious order but has not taken final vows. Find synonyms, translations, and usage examples of the word novice from various sources. Factsheet What does the word novice mean? There are six meanings listed in OED's entry for the word novice, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.