Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PROS'E-LYTE, n. [Fr. proselyte; It. prosolita; Gr. προσηλυτος; προς and ερχομαι, to come; ηλυθον, ηλθον.]

A new convert to some religion or religious sect, or to some particular opinion, system or party. Thus a Gentile converted to Judaism is a proselyte; a Pagan converted to Christianity is a proselyte; and we speak familiarly of proselytes to the theories of Brown, of Black, or of Lavoisier. The word primarily refers to converts to some religious creed.