I. ˈpräsəˌlīt, usu -īd.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English proselite, from Late Latin proselytus proselyte, alien resident, from Greek prosēlytos, from pros near, toward, to + ēlytos (akin to elthein to come, go, suppletive aor. of erchesthai to come, go); akin to Greek elan to drive — more at pros- , elastic
1. : one who has been converted from one religious faith to another : neophyte ; specifically : a convert to Judaism who performs all the religious duties required of Jews and enjoys all the privileges
2. : one who has been converted from one belief, attitude, or party to another : convert
a proselyte , a traditionalist who has only recently been converted to the modern credo of the glossematicians — Bjarne Ulvestad
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
: to convert from one religion, belief, opinion, or party to another : make a proselyte of
the efforts of early missionaries to proselyte Minnesota Indians were largely unproductive — American Guide Series: Minnesota
intransitive verb
1. : to make or attempt to make proselytes
left … to secure religious liberty and to proselyte among heathen — A.D.Graeff
2. : to recruit members for an institution, team, or group especially by the offer of special inducements
though it does not engage in proselyting, the college usually turns out fine basketball teams