baptize
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All three words refer to the act of bringing someone into the Christian faith, but each highlights a different part of the ritual. 'Baptize' is the standard, slightly formal term used across most Christian traditions and applies whether the rite involves sprinkling, pouring, or full immersion in water. 'Christen' is more everyday in British English and typically focuses on the moment a baby is given a Christian name during the ceremony, so people often say a baby is christened rather than baptized. 'Immerse' is narrower: it describes only the physical act of placing the body fully under water, which is the practice favoured by some Protestant groups. Compare: 'Their daughter was baptized last Sunday' (the rite, neutral), 'They christened her Sophie' (the naming part), and 'Adult believers are immersed in the river' (the physical method).
Common collocations
Etymology
Baptize entered English in the thirteenth century from Old French baptiser, which came from Latin baptizare. The Latin word was borrowed from Greek baptizein, meaning to dip or to plunge. The connection to water is therefore built into the word's history: the earliest Christians used the term because the rite involved dipping a new believer in a river or pool, even before pouring and sprinkling became common in many churches.