proselyte
Americannoun
verb (used with or without object)
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
proselytesimple
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proselytessimple
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have proselytedperfect
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has proselytedperfect
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am proselytingprogressive
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are proselytingprogressive
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is proselytingprogressive
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have been proselytingperfect progressive
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has been proselytingperfect progressive
Past
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proselytedsimple
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had proselytedperfect
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was proselytingprogressive
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were proselytingprogressive
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had been proselytingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of proselyte
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Late Latin prosēlytus, from Greek (Septuagint) prosḗlytos, for unattested prosḗlythos “newcomer, proselyte,” equivalent to prosēlyth- (suppletive stem of prosérchesthai “to approach”) + -os noun suffix
Explanation
A proselyte is a new convert, especially someone who has recently switched from one religion to another. In some Christian churches, a proselyte must be baptized. You can use the word proselyte to talk about any kind of convert, even those that aren't religious. You could, for example, call your brother a proselyte if he voted for a Republican in the last election but recently joined the Democratic party. The most common use of the word, however, is someone who converts to Judaism. Proselyte has a Greek root, proselytos, which means both "convert to Judaism" and "one who has come over."
Vocabulary lists containing proselyte
The Federalist Papers, No. 1 by Alexander Hamilton
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National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 3
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Around the World in Eighty Days
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Janet Kitselman also became a proselyte for the history of Waterford, helping to create educational programming at the town’s Second Street School.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 16, 2021
Mary Frank, the artist, is his friend and fellow solar-cooking proselyte.
From The New Yorker ● Sep. 23, 2019
Christian Angermayer is an unlikely proselyte of psychedelia: The German financier didn’t drink so much as a sip of beer for the first three decades of his life.
From Scientific American ● Jul. 9, 2019
"I am a big believer in the potency of artistic endeavor at its highest. To proselyte through your storytelling is not good storytelling."
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2015
The Empress Poppæa is said to have been a proselyte.
From History of European Morals From Augustus to Charlemagne (Vol. 1 of 2) by Lecky, William Edward Hartpole
Some of the recent FDE proselytes, like OpenAI and Anthropic, have raised mind-boggling sums of money on the promise of a technology powerful enough to reshape the entire economy.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 4, 2026
He’s converting new proselytes to the religion of live theater day after day.
From Slate ● Nov. 24, 2015
Still, proselytes often find that being Paleo quickly becomes a round-the-clock duty.
From New York Times ● Sep. 19, 2014
For new converts like Mr. Kagodo, the values of the young proselytes are as compelling as any set of religious beliefs.
From New York Times ● Apr. 13, 2012
Even the Pharisees stirred heaven and earth to make proselytes.
From Supernatural Religion, Vol. III. (of III) An Inquiry into the Reality of Divine Revelation by Cassels, Walter Richard
Legislators, initiative petitions, green paint, dynamite, burglars, proselyted athletes, and a hundred other things have been used in the fight between the two schools ever since the oldest professor can remember.
From Time Magazine Archive
The Old Left organized and proselyted, playing its part in bringing about the American welfare state.
From Time Magazine Archive
It is my solemn conviction that I have not proselyted a dozen individuals; for the very conclusive reason that no conversions were necessary.
From Thoughts on African Colonization by Garrison, William Lloyd
Methinks he should have a religion of his own; and that, not that of the Jews, because he was a Gentile; and not, as we read of, proselyted to the Jews religion.
From Works of John Bunyan — Volume 02 by Bunyan, John
Another group of persons also large potentially and a serious menace when proselyted by the apostles of rebellion, were the squatters and trespassers who were occupying land to which they had no lawful right.
From The Story of the Pony Express by Bradley, Glenn D. (Glenn Danford)
Meanwhile the Unitarian Association conducted its own investigation, exonerated Fritchman of using his position for "proselyting in behalf of the Communist Party cause."
From Time Magazine Archive
They support themselves while proselyting, and generally serve a two-year period.
From Time Magazine Archive
For the last two years we have endeavored to bring our proselyting activities out from under the table.
From Time Magazine Archive
How can the Catholic Church best use radio as a tool in proselyting?
From Time Magazine Archive
"Don't start proselyting to-day. To-day's going to be bad enough as it is."
From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
