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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Neophyte \Ne"o*phyte\ (n[=e]"[-o]*f[imac]t), noun [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. n['e]ophyte. See {New}, and {Be}.]
1. 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.
2. Hence: A novice; a tyro; a beginner in anything.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
neophyte
noun
1: a plant that is found in an area where it had not been recorded previously
2: any new participant in some activity [syn: {newcomer}, {fledgling}, {fledgeling}, {starter}, {freshman}, {newbie}, {entrant}]
3: a new convert being taught the principles of Christianity by a catechist [syn: {catechumen}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
60 Moby Thesaurus words for "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
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