baptize

verb

bap·​tize ˈbap-ˌtīz 

bap-ˈtīz,

 especially Southern  bab-ˈtīz,

 or  ˈbab-ˌtīz

variants or less commonly baptise

baptized also baptised; baptizing also baptising

transitive verb

1

religion : to administer baptism (see baptism sense 1) to

baptize a child in the Episcopal Church

was baptized a Catholic as an infant

2

a

: to purify or cleanse spiritually especially by a purging (see purge entry 1 sense 1) experience or ordeal

… baptized with pain and rapture, tears and fire …

—Sidney Lanier

b

: initiate

Both developments were baptized under last season's conditions of scanty snow …

—New York Times

3

: to give a name to (as at baptism) : christen

They baptized their son "John" after the baby's grandfather.

intransitive verb

: to administer baptism

baptizer noun

Synonyms

• name
• call
• nominate
• dub
• designate
• christen
• denominate
• label
• title
• nickname

Examples of baptize in a Sentence

The priest baptized the baby.

She was baptized at the age of 20.

Recent Examples on the Web

Jacksonville Jaguars two-way star Travis Hunter was baptized just hours before his game against the Seattle Seahawks. —Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2025

My dad was raised Methodist and comes from a very devout Methodist family — I was baptized twice because both of them thought the other thing was heathen. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025

The Spanish baptized the women, providing religious cover for them to be raped. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025

Hunter took it upon himself to be baptized ahead of the game. —James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French baptiser, from Late Latin baptizare, from Greek baptizein to dip, baptize, from baptein to dip, dye; akin to Old Norse kvefja to quench

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for baptize

• advise
• applies
• apprise
• arise
• assize
• belies
• bitwise
• capsize
• chastise
• chordwise
• clockwise
• coastwise

Kids Definition

baptize

verb

bap·​tize bap-ˈtīz 

ˈbap-ˌtīz

baptized; baptizing

1

: to dip in water or sprinkle water on as a part of the ceremony of receiving into the Christian church

2

a

: to make pure in spirit (as by a painful experience)

b

: initiate entry 1 sense 3

3

: to give a name to (as in the ceremony of baptism) : christen

baptizer noun