3 definitions
for newbie
From WordNet (r) 2.0 :
newbie
n : any new participant in some activity [syn: newcomer, fledgling,
fledgeling, starter, neophyte, freshman, entrant]
From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) :
newbie /n[y]oo'bee/ n. [very common; orig. from British public-school
and military slang variant of `new boy'] A Usenet neophyte. This term
surfaced in the newsgroup talk.bizarre but is now in wide use (the
combination "clueless newbie" is especially common). Criteria for being
considered a newbie vary wildly; a person can be called a newbie in one
newsgroup while remaining a respected regular in another. The label
`newbie' is sometimes applied as a serious insult to a person who has
been around Usenet for a long time but who carefully hides all evidence
of having a clue. See B1FF; see also gnubie.
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) :
newbie
/n[y]oo'bee/ (Originally from British public-school
and military slang variant of "new boy") An inexperienced user
of Usenet or other system.
This term surfaced in the newsgroup news:talk.bizarre but
is now in wide use. Criteria for being considered a newbie
vary wildly; a person can be called a newbie in one newsgroup
while remaining a respected regular in another. The label
"newbie" is sometimes applied as a serious insult to a person
who has been around Usenet for a long time but who carefully
hides all evidence of having a clue.
See BIFF.
[{Jargon File]
(1998-02-18)