Plural of rookie; beginners or newcomers, especially in sports, military service, or a new job.
From 'rookie,' possibly derived from 'recruit' (French 'recrute'), with folk etymology connecting it to the bird 'rook.' The exact origin is debated among etymologists.
Rookie hazing in sports and military settings used to be brutal, but research showed it actually hurts performance—now smarter teams invest in mentoring rookies instead of humiliating them.
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