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greenhorn

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

See also:Greenhorn

English

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Etymology

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FromMiddle Englishgrene horn, which is attested for “horn of a recently killed animal” and as the name of a horse. It may also have been used of young horned animals. In all cases “green” refers to the idea of “fresh, young, recent”, taken from plants and used in Middle English for all kinds of things irrespective of their colour, e.g. wounds, leather, fish, cheese (seegreen cheese).^[1] Figurative use for people dates from the 17th century.^[2] Compare semanticallyGermanGrünschnabel(literally“green-beak”).

Noun

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greenhorn (pluralgreenhorns)

(chiefly US) Aninexperienced person; anovice,beginner ornewcomer.
- 1847, George Frederick Augustus Ruxton,Adventures in Mexico and the Rocky Mountains, page267:
  The powers of the Canadian voyageurs and hunters in the consumption of meat strike thegreenhorn with wonder and astonishment; and are only equalled by the gastronomical capabilities exhibited by Indian dogs, both following the same plan in their epicurean gorgings.
- 2001 November 15,Bungie,Halo: Combat Evolved,v1.0,Microsoft Game Studios,Xbox, level/area:The Pillar of Autumn:
  All yougreenhorns who wanted to see Covenant up close...this is gonna be your lucky day.
(chiefly Massachusetts, ethnic slur, offensive) A Portuguese person.
- 1993,Common Lives, Lesbian Lives- Issues 47-49, page37:
  She lives in New Bedford, and her dad's not around much and her mum calls her boyfriend a Portagee, a fuckin'greenhorn,