Definitions

1. noun

A person who is a novice or a beginner in a particular profession or activity, especially in a monastery or convent.

“The young monk was still in his novitiate, learning the ways of the order.”

2. noun

The period of time during which a novice or beginner learns and trains in a particular profession or activity.

“The novitiate period for the new monks was two years, during which they learned the basics of the monastic life.”