baptistery

bap·tis·tery

noun \ˈbap-tə-strē, especially Southern ˈbab-\

plural bap·tis·ter·ies or bap·tis·tries

Definition of BAPTISTERY

: a part of a church or formerly a separate building used for baptism

Variants of BAPTISTERY

bap·tis·tery or bap·tis·try \ˈbap-tə-strē, especially Southern ˈbab-\

First Known Use of BAPTISTERY

14th century

baptistery

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Battistero (baptistery) San. Giovanni, Florence, begun 7th century—Alinari/Art Resource, New York

Domed hall or chapel, adjacent to or part of a church, for the administration of baptism. By the 4th century, the baptistery had assumed an eight-sided shape (eight in Christian numerology being the symbol for a new life), as had the baptismal font within. The font itself was set beneath a dome-shaped baldachin and encircled by columns and an ambulatory (aisle), features first used by the Byzantines.

Variants of BAPTISTERY

baptistery or baptistry