Novitiate

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Novitiate \No*vi"ti*ate\, n. [LL. novitiatus: cf. F. noviciat.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. The state of being a novice; time of initiation or
        instruction in rudiments.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. Hence: The time of probation in a religious house before
        taking the vows.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. One who is going through a novitiate, or period of
        probation; a novice. --Addison.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. The place where novices live or are trained. [R.]
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  novitiate
       n 1: the period during which you are a novice (especially in a
            religious order) [syn: {noviciate}]
       2: someone who has entered a religious order but has not taken
          final vows [syn: {novice}]