noun
convert; religious convert
Refers to a person who has changed their religion, often used in contexts like conversion to Buddhism or Christianity.
彼はキリスト教の改宗者だ。
He is a convert to Christianity.
その僧侶は熱心な改宗者だった。
The monk was a zealous convert.
転向者 implies a change in ideology or political stance, not necessarily religious.
Compound of 改宗 (conversion) + 者 (person). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji composition is transparent.