neophyte

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A recent convert to a belief; a proselyte.
2. n. A beginner or novice: a neophyte at politics.
3. n. Roman Catholic Church A newly ordained priest.
4. n. A novice of a religious order or congregation.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. Newly entered on some state; having the character of a novice.
2. n. A new convert; one newly initiated. Specifically— In the primitive church, one newly baptized. These formed a distinct class in the church; at first, because of the reference in 1 Tim. iii. 6 to a novice, they were regarded as unfit for ecclesiastical office.
3. n. In the Roman Catholic Church, a converted heathen, heretic, etc.
4. n. Occasionally in the Roman Catholic Church, a novice.
5. n. A tiro; a beginner in learning.
6. n. Synonyms Proselyte, Apostate, etc. See convert.

Wiktionary

1. n. A beginner.
2. n. A novice (recent convert), a new convert or proselyte, a new monk.
3. n. Christianity A name given by the early Christians, and still given by the Roman Catholics, to those who have recently embraced the Christian faith, and been admitted to baptism, especially those converts from heathenism or Judaism.
4. n. biology A plant species recently introduced to an area (in contrast to archaeophyte, a long-established introduced species).

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. 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. n. A novice; a tyro; a beginner in anything.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a new convert being taught the principles of Christianity by a catechist
2. n. any new participant in some activity
3. n. a plant that is found in an area where it had not been recorded previously