'novice' originates from Medieval Latin, specifically the word 'novicius', where 'novus' meant 'new'.

'novice' passed into Old French as 'novice' and then into Middle English as 'novice', keeping its sense of a newly admitted person (especially into a religious order) and later generalizing to mean a beginner.

Initially, it meant 'a newly admitted person (often in a religious order)'; over time it broadened to mean any 'beginner' or someone inexperienced.