greenhorn

[ green-hawrn ]
See synonyms for greenhorn on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. an untrained or inexperienced person.

  2. a naive or gullible person; someone who is easily tricked or swindled.

  1. Slang. a newly arrived immigrant; newcomer.

Origin of greenhorn

1
1425–75; late Middle English; see green, horn; originally applied to cattle with green (i.e., young) horns

Other words from greenhorn

  • greenhornism, noun

Words Nearby greenhorn

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use greenhorn in a sentence

  • The Greek mill-hand sells the greenhorn a job, and takes his chances on the foreman giving the man work.

    The Old World in the New | Edward Alsworth Ross
  • She, on her side, perceiving what a greenhorn she had to deal with, made up her shrewd little mind to set her cap for me.

    The Wasted Generation | Owen Johnson
  • An old trapper who has a couple of traps and lots of experience will catch more fur than the greenhorn with a complete outfit.

    Deadfalls and Snares | A. R. (Arthur Robert) Harding

British Dictionary definitions for greenhorn

greenhorn

/ (ˈɡriːnˌhɔːn) /


noun
  1. an inexperienced person, esp one who is extremely gullible

  2. mainly US a newcomer or immigrant

Origin of greenhorn

1
C17: originally an animal with green (that is, young) horns

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012