Noob
Etymology
From newbie (new + -ie, ultimately from “new”), reshaped in gaming and internet culture into “noob,” with the leetspeak variant “n00b.” It spread from online games in the early 2000s to general use for any clueless beginner.
noun · /NOOB/
An inexperienced beginner, often referred to with mild derision.
What it names
It names the newcomer specifically as someone who hasn’t yet learned the ropes — and often as someone whose fumbling shows. Depending on tone it’s neutral fact or a put-down, marking the gap between those who know a community’s norms and those who don’t yet.
Example
I’m a total noob at spreadsheets — can you show me how pivot tables work?
Related idea
Harsher than beginner: beginner is neutral, while noob usually implies the person’s inexperience is showing, and mildly mocks it.