beginner

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English

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Etymology

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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

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Noun

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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

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Derived terms

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Translations

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

Further reading

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Anagrams

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Dutch

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Etymology

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From beginnen +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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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

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