"to convert or attempt to convert as a proselyte; to recruit someone to join one's party, institution or cause," and it's made a convoluted journey to get to us. dictionary.com explains it's come from Middle English proselite, then before that from Old French, before that from Late Latin proselytus, and originally from Greek proselutos meaning 'stranger, proselyte,' which in turn comes from two Greek words pros and eluth the aorist tense stem of erkhesthai 'to go.'
it's not just the 'religious' who proselytize, listen to some adverts for political candidates.......pros·e·ly·tize (prs-l-tz)
v. pros·e·ly·tized, pros·e·ly·tiz·ing, pros·e·ly·tiz·es
v.intr.
1. To induce someone to convert to one's own religious faith.
2. To induce someone to join one's own political party or to espouse one's doctrine.
v.tr.
To convert (a person) from one belief, doctrine, cause, or faith to another.
prose·ly·ti·zation (-t-zshn) n.
prose·ly·tizer n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
mark but-my-way-is.... Bailey[/quote]