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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

neofan en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈniːəʊfæn/

Etymology

From neo- + fan.

Meanings

  1. (dated, slang) A newcomer to science fiction; a fan who is extremely new and inexperienced with the genre; a beginner.
    • COMING NEXT ISH: A department devoted to the BNF of tomorrow. 'Twill be the neofan of today who is the Tucker or Laney of tomorrow. So QUANDRY, the BNZ of tomorrow, will bring you biografies^([sic]) of lesser known fen. 1950 October, Lee Hoffman, “Chaos”, in Quandry, archived from the original on 07 Jun 2011, page 5:
    • For a while there, if three fans were swapping apazines, it’s a good bet that I was one of them. Not that I set a record for number of apas. Bruce Pelz, Robert Lichtman and a few other fans had made “omniapan-ism” fashionable among impressionable neofen like me. Bruce was not only in a lot of groups, but it seemed like he was Official Editor of half of them. 2006 May 14, Arnie Katz, “The Thin Veneer”, in confuSon, volume 1, number 4:
    • Huzzah! Hopefully we'll get some fans, neo-fans and even fanlings to join us. 2005 June, Ruth Davidson, “President's Message”, in National Fantasy Fan, volume 5, number 2, page 4:
    • I heard a couple of neofans boasting that they were going to have breakfast with him! 1988, Sharyn McCrumb, Bimbos of the Death Sun:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
neofen Number=Plur lexicographic
neofans Number=Plur lexicographic
neo alternative, clipping lexicographic

Synonyms

newcomer · tyrone · tyro · tenderfoot · nubcake · bun · FNG · alphabetarian · homo novus · newb · initiate · trainee · learner · new chum · inceptor · newfriend · probie · apprentice · neophyte · pup · stranger · greenhorn · first-timer · rookie · greenie · n00b · probationist · novice · probationer · colt · fledgling · puny · newbro · greener · newfag · younker · recruit · beginner · noob · amateur · fanling · newling · Johnny-come-lately · novitiate · freshman · newbie · abecedarian · fresh meat · nub · nozzer