apprentice

/əˈprɛntəs/

/əˈprɛntɪs/

Other forms: apprentices; apprenticed; apprenticing

An apprentice is someone who learns a trade. An apprentice farmer is paid very little but has the chance to learn farming by watching and doing.

In the old days, becoming an apprentice was the only way to get into many lines of work. Nowadays we think of it more in terms of trades — butchers, bakers, bricklayers, etc. If you do the same thing in an office setting, it's usually called an internship, but the idea is the same — learning by watching an expert. The word can be used as either a noun or verb: You are an apprentice, but you also can apprentice to the barber down the street.

Definitions of apprentice

1. noun

   someone who works for an expert to learn a trade
   synonyms: intern, learner, prentice

   types:

   printer's devil

   an apprentice in a printing establishment

   type of:

   beginner, initiate, novice, tiro, tyro

   someone new to a field or activity
2. verb

   be or work as an apprentice
   “She apprenticed with the great master”

   type of:

   prepare, train

   undergo training or instruction in preparation for a particular role, function, or profession