uninitiated
UK: ˌʌnɪˈnɪʃieɪtɪd | US: ˌʌnɪˈnɪʃieɪtɪd
adj. lacking knowledge or experience in a particular subject or activity
n. (plural) people who lack knowledge or experience in a specific area
The word "uninitiated" combines the negative prefix "un-" (Old English "un-," meaning "not") with the root "initiate" (from Latin "initiatus," past participle of "initiare," meaning "to begin or introduce"). The suffix "-ed" turns it into an adjective. Originally tied to religious rites ("initiated" referred to those admitted to secret knowledge), it now broadly describes anyone unfamiliar with a topic.
The professor's lecture was incomprehensible to the uninitiated.
The manual includes a glossary for the uninitiated.
To the uninitiated, the rules of cricket seem overly complex.
Her jokes about quantum physics left the uninitiated audience confused.
The guidebook offers simple explanations for uninitiated travelers.