Building a Better Vocabulary

ż Tenderfoot was coined in the

1800s to refer to new immigrants

to the United States who weren’t

used to the hardships of ranching

and mining. The word can be used

for any beginner, but in particular,

it refers to one unused to the

hardships of the outdoors.

ż Greenhorn refers to an

inexperienced person, particularly

one who is gullible.

z It’s not uncommon to confuse tyro and

dilettante, but the two are not exact

synonyms. Remember, a dilettante

is a dabbler in different subjects,

and the word can carry the pejorative connotation of someone

who is a pretender or a poser. Tyro does not carry this same

“pretender” connotation.

Ingénue (noun)

1. An innocent, naïve girl or young woman.


2. A stock innocent character in a movie or play or the actress playing
   such a character.

Puerile (adjective)

Juvenile, childishly silly, foolish.

z Puerile is often used in a negative, pejorative sense to describe

juvenile humor, antics, or silliness, as in: “After sitting on a

whoopee cushion and hearing inappropriate noises made by his

students, the teacher called for an end to the puerile humor, warning

of severe consequences.”

7KHZRUGabecedarian

FRPHVIURPWKH¿UVW

OHWWHUVRIWKHDOSKDEHW

WRUHPHPEHULWWKLQNRI

FKLOGUHQOHDUQLQJWKHLUDEF¶V

© shironosov/iStock/Thinkstock.