Definitions

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

  • noun A beginner in learning something.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A beginner in learning anything; one who is employed in learning or who has mastered the rudiments only of any branch of knowledge; a novice.

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

  • noun A beginner in learning; one who is in the rudiments of any branch of study; a person imperfectly acquainted with a subject; a novice.

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

  • noun someone new to a field or activity

Etymologies

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

[Medieval Latin tȳrō, squire, variant of Latin tīrō, recruit.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin tīro ("young soldier, recruit")

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Examples

  • Rochas, which I had read in tyro fashion in other and busier days,

    Chapter 7 2010

  • Rochas, which I had read in tyro fashion in other and busier days,

    Chapter 7 1915

  • Professionally, if not artistically speaking, Doré passed straight from child to man; in one sense of the word he had no boyhood, the term tyro remained inapplicable.

    In the Heart of the Vosges And Other Sketches by a "Devious Traveller" Matilda Betham-Edwards 1877

  • "You ain't exactly what they call a tyro, are you?" says the bland-faced man; "but I guess you've missed the mark this shot.

    Mr. Crewe's Career — Volume 3 Winston Churchill 1909

  • "You ain't exactly what they call a tyro, are you?" says the bland-faced man; "but I guess you've missed the mark this shot.

    Mr. Crewe's Career — Complete Winston Churchill 1909

  • "You ain't exactly what they call a tyro, are you?" says the bland-faced man; "but I guess you've missed the mark this shot.

    Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Winston Churchill Winston Churchill 1909

  • How does "tyro" apply to Milt Kahl at the point in time of that story?

    M. Kahl Steve Hulett 2009

  • Apparently from the looks of that watercolor Art Riley was no "tyro" any more than your dad was, Steve!

    "Got Any Good Art Riley Stories?" Steve Hulett 2007

  • Wright, whose courtesy and kindliness, the courtesy and kindliness from a veteran to a tyro which is so encouraging to the tyro, have been beyond any expression of thanks which I can phrase.

    Edward FitzGerald and "Posh" "Herring Merchants" James Blyth

  • But it's a movie dominated by Orson Welles - "tyro" and "enfant terrible" of the American theater.

    SplicedFeed 2009

Comments

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  • "You couldn't sit around in some art director's waiting room with a brand-new-looking portfolio. Everyone would know you were a tyro."

    "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay", Michael Chabon, p87

    August 10, 2007

  • This is what all the cool kids use in place of noob these days.

    August 24, 2008