Meaning

noun a plant that is found in an area where it had not been recorded previously

noun any new participant in some activity

noun a new convert being taught the principles of Christianity by a catechist

originBorrowed from Latin neophytus, from Ancient Greek νεόφυτος (neóphutos, “newly planted”), from νέος (néos, “new”) + φυτόν (phutón, “plant, child”). By surface analysis, neo- + -phyte.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0