Tenderfoots

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Referring to inexperienced or new individuals, particularly in a specific area or field
2. Describing people who are naive or unaccustomed to certain activities, often implying a lack of skill or understanding
3. Characterizing those who are newcomers and lack the practical knowledge that comes with experience in a given context

Etymology: "Tenderfoots" is the plural of "tenderfoot," and the singular word is a plain compound of "tender" and "foot," which makes the image literal: a newcomer whose feet are too soft for rough ground. The sense of a soft, unseasoned person is what made the word stick, since it was used for people arriving in ranching and mining country who were not yet hardened to the work or the terrain. The word was first recorded in 1866, in the American West, where the image of a city dweller with delicate feet trying to walk the trails was apt. Over time the physical sense of tender feet faded and the term became a general label for anyone inexperienced at a task.

Synonyms: novices, beginners, newcomers

Antonyms: experts, veterans, professionals