novitiate

no·vi·ti·ate also no·vi·ci·ate  (n-vsh-t, -t)

n.

1. The period of being a novice.

2. A place where novices live.

3. See novice.

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[Medieval Latin novcitus, from novcius, novice; see novice.]

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novitiate, noviciate [nəʊˈvɪʃɪɪt -ˌeɪt]

n

1. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) the state of being a novice, esp in a religious order, or the period for which this lasts

2. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) the part of a religious house where the novices live

3. a less common word for novice

[from French noviciat, from Latin novīcius novice]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	novitiate - the period during which you are a novice (especially in a religious order) noviciate faith, religion, religious belief - a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; "he lost his faith but not his morality" period, period of time, time period - an amount of time; "a time period of 30 years"; "hastened the period of time of his recovery"; "Picasso's blue period"
	2.	novitiate - someone who has entered a religious order but has not taken final vows novice religious person - a person who manifests devotion to a deity

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novitiate

noun

1. apprenticeship, training, probation These monks left the monastery without completing their novitiate.

2. novice, probationer, postulant Claudio's sister, Isabella, is a novitiate in a convent.