Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One bound by legal agreement to work for another for a specific amount of time in return for instruction in a trade, art, or business.
  • noun One who is learning a trade or occupation, especially as a member of a labor union.
  • noun A beginner; a learner.
  • transitive verb To place or take on as a beginner or learner.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To bind to or put under the care of a master, for the purpose of instruction in some art, trade, or profession; indenture.
  • noun One who is bound by indenture to serve some particular individual or company for a specified time, in order to learn some art, trade, profession, manufacture, etc., in which his master or masters become bound to instruct him.
  • noun A learner in any department; one only slightly versed in a subject; a novice.
  • noun In old English law, a barrister of less than sixteen years' standing. After this period he might be called to the rank of serjeant.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To bind to, or put under the care of, a master, for the purpose of instruction in a trade or business.
  • noun One who is bound by indentures or by legal agreement to serve a mechanic, or other person, for a certain time, with a view to learn the art, or trade, in which his master is bound to instruct him.
  • noun One not well versed in a subject; a tyro.
  • noun (Old law), obsolete A barrister, considered a learner of law till of sixteen years' standing, when he might be called to the rank of serjeant.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A trainee, especially in a skilled trade.
  • noun historical One who is bound by indentures or by legal agreement to serve a tradesperson, or other person, for a certain time, with a view to learn the art, or trade, in which his master is bound to instruct him.
  • noun dated One not well versed in a subject; a tyro or newbie.
  • verb transitive To put under the care and supervision of a master, for the purpose of instruction in a trade or business.
  • verb transitive To be an apprentice to.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun works for an expert to learn a trade
  • verb be or work as an apprentice

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English apprentis, from Old French aprentis, from Vulgar Latin *apprēnditīcius, from *apprēnditus, alteration of Latin apprehēnsus, past participle of apprehendere, to seize; see apprehend.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Old French aprentis, plural of aprentif, from the verb aprendre, Late Latin apprendō, from Classical Latin apprehendō.

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