neophyte

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ne=o=phyte

CIDE DICTIONARY

neophyte, n. [L. neophytis, Gr. neo`fytos, prop., newly planted; ne`os new + fyto`s grown, fyto`n that which has grown, a plant, fr. fy`ein to grow: cf. F. néophyte. See New, and Be.].

•  A new convert or proselyte; -- a name given by the early Christians, and still given by the Roman Catholics, to such as have recently embraced the Christian faith, and been admitted to baptism, esp. to converts from heathenism or Judaism.  [1913 Webster]
•  A novice; a tyro; a beginner in anything.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

neophyte, n.
1 a new convert, esp. to a religious faith.
2 RC Ch. a a novice of a religious order. b a newly ordained priest.
3 a beginner; a novice.

Etymology

eccl.L neophytus f. NT Gk neophutos newly planted (as NEO- phuton plant)

THESAURUS

neophyte

Christian, God-fearing man, abecedarian, accepter, alphabetarian, apprentice, articled clerk, baby, beginner, believer, boot, catechumen, churchgoer, churchite, churchman, colt, communicant, convert, daily communicant, deb, debutant, devotee, devotionalist, disciple, entrant, fanatic, fledgling, follower, freshman, good Christian, greenhorn, greeny, ignoramus, inductee, infant, initiate, learner, nestling, new boy, newcomer, novice, novitiate, pietist, postulant, probationer, probationist, proselyte, raw recruit, receiver, recruit, religionist, rookie, saint, tenderfoot, theist, trainee, truster, tyro, votary, zealot

ROGET THESAURUS

neophyte

Learner

N learner, scholar, student, pupil, apprentice, prentice, journeyman, articled clerk, beginner, tyro, amateur, rank amateur, abecedarian, alphabetarian, alumnus, eleve, recruit, raw recruit, novice, neophyte, inceptor, catechumen, probationer, seminarian, chela, fellow-commoner, debutant, intern, resident, schoolboy, fresh, freshman, frosh, junior soph, junior, senior soph, senior, sophister, sophomore, questionist, undergraduate, graduate student, law student, medical student, pre-med, post-doctoral student, post-doc, matriculated student, part-time student, night student, auditor, class, grade, seminar, form, remove, pupilage, disciple, follower, apostle, proselyte, fellow-student, condisciple, school, in statu pupillari, in leading strings, practise makes perfect.