proselyte

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a person newly converted to a religion, doctrine, or cause

   The movement gained several proselytes through public lectures.

2. 2
   verb

   to seek or make converts to a religion, doctrine, or cause; rare

   The preacher travelled from village to village to proselyte.

Through Old French proselite and Late Latin proselytus from Greek proselytos, 'newcomer, convert,' literally one who has come over. In biblical Greek it referred especially to a gentile convert to Judaism, then broadened to any new convert.

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