Online Computer Dictionary

/n[y]oo'bee/ (Sometimes shorted to "noob") Originally from British public-school and military slang variant of "new boy", an inexperienced user.

This term surfaced in the newsgroup news:talk.bizarre but is now in wide use. Criteria for being considered a newbie vary wildly; a person can be called a newbie in one group while remaining a respected regular in another. The label "newbie" is sometimes applied as a serious insult to a person who has been around for a long time but who carefully hides all evidence of having a clue.

See BIFF.

[Jargon File]