- Young, naive, inexperienced, and lacking knowledge of the world.
- Implies immaturity due to lack of experience.
Explanation
Origin
- Refers to newborn farm animals like calves or foals.
- The spot behind their ears is said to be the last part of their body to dry after birth.
- Therefore, someone wet behind the ears is metaphorically like a newborn – very new and inexperienced. Dates to the early 20th century or possibly earlier.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Green
- Rookie
- Newbie / Noob (online gaming slang)
- Fresh off the boat (can be offensive, implies recent arrival/ignorance)
- Doesn't know shit yet (vulgar)
- Clueless (can be harsher)
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- Doesn't know his ass from his elbow (implies incompetence)
- Green as fuck
- Dumbass newbie (offensive)
Milder/Formal:
- Inexperienced
- Lacking experience
- Novice
- Junior-level
- New to the field/role
- Requires further development
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal.
- Can sound condescending or patronizing, especially if used directly about someone present or by a superior. Avoid in formal feedback or evaluations.
- Use with caution as it can be dismissive of a person's abilities.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- The literal meaning is nonsensical for humans, so it's usually understood as metaphorical. The main issue is the potentially negative or condescending tone, which might cause offense if not intended.
Examples
- The new intern is enthusiastic but still a bit wet behind the ears.
- He thought he knew everything, but he was clearly wet behind the ears.
- Don't be too hard on him; he's still wet behind the ears.
Dialogue
Hiring Manager 1: What did you think of that candidate? He seemed very confident.
Hiring Manager 2: Confident, yes, but very wet behind the ears. Hardly any real-world experience for this role.
Hiring Manager 1: I agree. Maybe suitable for a junior position, but not this one.
Social Media Examples
- Post (nostalgic): Looking back at my first year out of college... boy, was I wet behind the ears! Learned so much since then. #throwback #career
- Comment (on a forum asking for advice): Sounds like you're still a bit wet behind the ears in this field. My advice: find a good mentor. #advice #newbie
- Tweet: Some of these new influencers giving life advice are clearly still wet behind the ears. Take it with a grain of salt. #influencers #experience
Response Patterns
- Agreement: Yes, definitely needs more time/experience. / He's got a lot to learn.
- Disagreement/Defense: I don't know, I think she's sharper than she looks. / He might be young, but he's not wet behind the ears.
- Observation/Advice: Give him a chance. / We all started out wet behind the ears.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
- Discussing the person's potential for growth.
- Suggesting training or mentorship.
- Sharing anecdotes about one's own initial inexperience.
- Assigning simpler tasks appropriate for someone new.
Conversation Starter
- No. Used to describe someone's perceived lack of experience or maturity.
Intonation
- Main stress usually falls on WET. He's still WET behind the ears.
- Often spoken with a slightly dismissive, patronizing, or perhaps affectionate tone, depending on context.
Generation Differences
- Generally understood across generations, but might feel slightly dated or folksy to younger people.
- More likely to be used *by* older individuals *about* younger, less experienced people.
Regional Variations
- Common in most English-speaking regions. Perhaps slightly more prevalent in British and Commonwealth English than American English, but still widely recognized in the US.