baptize
Americanverb (used with object)
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to immerse in water or sprinkle or pour water on in the Christian rite of baptism.
They baptized the new baby.
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to cleanse spiritually; initiate or dedicate by purifying.
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to give a name to at baptism; christen.
verb (used without object)
verb
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Christianity to immerse (a person) in water or sprinkle water on (a person) as part of the rite of baptism
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(tr) to give a name to; christen
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(tr) to cleanse; purify
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of baptize
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Late Latin baptizāre, from Greek baptízein “to immerse,” from bápt(ein) “to dip” + -izein -ize
Explanation
To baptize is the ritual of bringing someone into the religion of Christianity. It’s usually when little babies get their heads sprinkled with water in a church. The word baptize comes from Greek baptizein which means, "to dip in water." That’s what happens when you get baptized — you get sprinkled with or dunked in water by someone official from a church. Christian parents often choose to baptize their babies, but adults can get baptized, too.
Vocabulary lists containing baptize
World Religions
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Brown Girl Dreaming
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Selection Vocabulary 4, Unit 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He also noted the space-alien allusions reminded him of the book “Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial,” a theological rumination by the astronomers at the Vatican Observatory.
From Washington Times • Dec. 17, 2020
In 2014, two Jesuit astronomers at the Vatican published a book with the title, “Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial?”
From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 23, 2016
Baptize him as you baptized those others yesterday.
From Time Magazine Archive
Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
From All Four Gospels for Readers by Anonymous
Baptize means to immerse in, or wash with something, usually water.
From The World English Bible (WEB): by Anonymous
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
