greenhorn

[ green-hawrn ]

/ ˈgrinˌhɔrn /

an untrained or inexperienced person.

a naive or gullible person; someone who is easily tricked or swindled.

Slang. a newly arrived immigrant; newcomer.

Origin of greenhorn

1425–75; late Middle English; see green, horn; orig. applied to cattle with green (i.e., young) horns

green·horn·ism, noun

Now the intention was to "shanghai" me (that is, steal my advance money), my landlord supposing that I was a greenhorn.

The Story of a Strange Career |Anonymous
The boys thought him a greenhorn, and they were all showing him how to do things.

Into the Jaws of Death |Jack O'Brien
Many a greenhorn may have heard of loaded dice, and so on; but very few know that there is such a thing as the Doctor Dice-box.

The Mysteries of London, v. 1/4 |George W. M. Reynolds
That was the night the West End knew that a greenhorn had cast his chrysalis and stood out a man.

The Nerve of Foley |Frank H. Spearman

When I inquired of him just what a short-stop is, he looked at me pityingly and said: Say, are you a greenhorn?

The Immigrant Tide, Its Ebb and Flow |Edward A. Steiner

greenhorn

/ (ˈɡriːnˌhɔːn) /

an inexperienced person, esp one who is extremely gullible

mainly US a newcomer or immigrant

C17: originally an animal with green (that is, young) horns