A young person learning a skilled trade by working under an experienced craftsperson; the old form of the word 'apprentice.'
From Old French 'aprentiz,' meaning 'one who is learning.' The 'a-' at the beginning was dropped over time in casual speech, creating the shortened form 'prentice.'
For centuries, prentices were basically kids who worked without pay in exchange for learning—they lived in their master's house and had almost no rights, which is why the job eventually became regulated and protected by law.
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