the act or fact of becoming a proselyte; conversion
2.
the state or condition of a proselyte
3.
the practice of making proselytes
Derived forms
proselytical (ˌprɑsəˈlɪtɪkəl)
adjective
Word origin
[1650–60; proselyte + -ism]This word is first recorded in the period 1650–60. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: cardholder, gas, oscillation, profile, syllabus-ism is a suffix appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it was used to form action nounsfrom verbs (baptism). On this model, -ism is used as a productive suffix in the formation of nouns denoting action or practice,state or condition, principles, doctrines, a usage or characteristic, devotion oradherence, etc. (criticism; barbarism; Darwinism; despotism; plagiarism; realism; witticism; intellectualism)
Examples of 'proselytism' in a sentence
proselytism
What price evangelism, proselytism, the missionary tradition?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It is understood that their trial will hinge on whether the pamphlets they published and distributed constituted proselytism.