neophyten.adj.

Etymology: < post-classical Latin neophytus new convert (Vulgate; late 2nd or early 3rd cent. in Tertullian), novice (from a705 in British sources), inexperienced person (from late 7th or early 8th cent. in British sources), also as adjective in sense newly planted (4th cent.) < ancient Greek νεόϕυτος newly planted, in Hellenistic Greek also newly converted, new convert (in 1 Timothy 3:6 and later Christian use) < νέο- neo- comb. form + ϕυτόν plant (see -phyte comb. form). Compare Middle French neofite (1495 in sense ‘recent convert to a religion’), French néophyte (1639 in sense ‘beginner in an art or science’, 1680 as néophite), Italian neofita, neofito (a1602).Not in general use before the 19th cent. Its employment in the Rheims New Testament, though defended by the translators, was objected to by their contemporaries:1582 in Bible (Rheims) Pref. to Rdr. c iij If Proselyte be a received word in the English bibles,..why may not we be bold to say, Neophyte?1583 W. Fulke Def. Transl. Script. (1843) iii. 207 Except you would coin such ridiculous inkhorn terms, as you do in the New Testament, azymes, prepuce, neophyte..and such like.a1603 T. Cartwright Confut. Rhemists New Test. (1618) Pref. sig. F2 Neophyte, to a bare Englishman is nothing at all, no more then depositum, exinanited, exhaust. The quot. given by N.E.D. (1906) as the earliest example of adjective use in fact shows the plural of the post-classical Latin noun:1577 R. Willes & R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Hist. Trauayle W. & E. Indies f. 364 Beyng Neophiti, (that is) newly come to the fayth, and not yet confirmed in our religion.