baptism

baptism — noun

1. a church ceremony that uses water to welcome someone into the Christian faith an

1.nounC1
Definition

a church ceremony that uses water to welcome someone into the Christian faith and mark spiritual cleansing or a fresh beginning

Example

The priest performed the baptism in a small stone church.

perform a baptism

Family members gathered near the front for baby Emma's baptism.

the baptism of somebody

Common collocations
  • infant baptism
  • adult baptism
  • perform a baptism
  • receive baptism
  • baptism service
Synonyms
  • christening

    often used for a baby's baptism, especially in everyday British English

  • sacrament

    a broader church term for a sacred rite, not only this one

  • initiation

    much broader and can refer to joining many kinds of groups

Grammar Patterns

the baptism of somebody

receive baptism

perform a baptism

Usage Note

Often used with of + person or with verbs such as perform, celebrate, and receive. In everyday speech, christening is sometimes used for a baby's baptism, especially when naming is part of the same service.

Common Mistakes

The priest baptismed the baby on Sunday.
The priest baptized the baby on Sunday.' / 'The baby's baptism was on Sunday.
baptism is the noun; baptize is the verb.
Idioms

baptism of fire

idiom

A difficult first experience in a new job or situation.

Maya's first day as a teacher was a real baptism of fire.

Did Diego's baptism of fire in the sales department help him grow?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For this sense, baptism is the standard Christian word for the ceremony that uses water to mark entry into the faith. Christening is often used in everyday speech for a baby's baptism, especially when the child is also formally given a name in the service. Initiation is much broader and can describe joining many kinds of groups, so it does not automatically suggest a church setting. Naming ceremony focuses on giving a name and may be religious or non-religious, so it is not always a baptism. A family may invite relatives to a baby's baptism at church, but choose a naming ceremony if they want a non-religious event.

baptism ↗christeninginitiation ↗naming ceremony

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • perform a baptism
  • receive baptism
  • infant baptism
  • adult baptism

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Baptism came into English through French and Latin from Greek. The Greek verb behind it meant "dip" or "put into water", which matches the ceremony's use of water as a sign of entry and spiritual renewal.