adjective
callow
KAL-oh/ˈkæləʊ/
Immature and lacking experience or sound judgment.
The callow cook shows off before mastering a simple pancake flip.
Etymology
The original sense “bare, bald” applied to young birds before they grew feathers. That image extended to young, inexperienced people who had not yet reached maturity.
In context
they get this callow, sort of thin-limbed student type who looks as if he's just out of high school.
More examples
- She later regretted her callow judgments.
- His callow enthusiasm lacked practical experience.
- The novel follows a callow student learning responsibility.
Forms
callow · more callow · most callow
Similar words
- inexperienced
- Inexperienced neutrally means lacking practice; callow also criticizes immaturity or poor judgment.
- naive
- Naive suggests lack of worldly understanding; callow often emphasizes youthful immaturity.