plebe
First-year military trainee
Plebe is informal for a freshman at a military academy, especially West Point or the Naval Academy.
The term comes from plebeian, emphasizing the low rank of first-year cadets in the rigid academy hierarchy.
More broadly, plebe can refer to any newcomer or person of low status in a structured environment.
The plebes had to follow strict rules that upperclassmen didn't.
One who lacks experience
- neophyteInexperienced beginner
- freshmanFirst-year student
- newcomerRecent arrival somewhere
- greenhornInexperienced, gullible newcomer
fledgling · trainee · apprentice · tyro · newbie · learner · initiate · novitiate
Military academy student
- academyInstitution of learning
- West PointU.S. Army academy
- AnnapolisMaryland's seat of government
- freshmanFirst-year student
fourth-class · uniform · regiment · training · discipline · formation · barracks · drill
Non-noble person
- peasantLow-status agricultural laborer
- lowbornOf humble origin
- riffraffDisreputable or undesirable people
- massesBulk or populace
rabble · hoi polloi · common folk · underling · inferior · subordinate · peon · serf
beginner
One who lacks experience
greenhorn · fledgling · trainee · apprentice · tyro · newbie · learner · initiate · novitiate · entrant
cadet
Military academy student
- academyInstitution of learning
- West PointU.S. Army academy
- AnnapolisMaryland's seat of government
freshman · fourth-class · uniform · regiment · training · discipline · formation · barracks · drill · parade
commoner
Non-noble person
- peasantLow-status agricultural laborer
- lowbornOf humble origin
- riffraffDisreputable or undesirable people
masses · rabble · hoi polloi · common folk · underling · inferior · subordinate · peon · serf · nobody
- beginnersbeginner, novice, rookie, newbie, newcomer
- novicesnovice, beginner, rookie, newbie, greenhorn
- Cadetsnaval cadets, army cadets, midshipman, midshipmen, firsties
- military academiesmilitary academy, Annapolis, Sandhurst, cadets, VMI
- Military Academycadet, academy, West Point, Annapolis, VMI
- military cadetscadets, cadet corps, cadet training, midshipmen, JROTC
plebeupperclassman
Junior or senior student
senior · yearling · squad leader · junior
plebepatrician
Highborn Roman elite
aristocrat · noble · nobleman · elite · blue blood
plebeian, plebiscite, plebs, pleb, plebeians, plebes, plebiscites