baptize

verb

bap·​tize bap-ˈtīz 

ˈbap-ˌtīz,

 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

Theybaptized their son "John" after the baby's grandfather.

intransitive verb

: to administer baptism

baptizer noun

Synonyms

• call
• christen
• clepe [archaic]
• denominate
• designate
• dub
• entitle
• label
• name
• nominate
• style
• term
• title

Examples of baptize in a Sentence

The priest baptized the baby.

She was baptized at the age of 20.

Recent Examples on the Web

On January 9, 1890, she was baptized, confirmed and received her first Holy Communion. —Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review, 20 Nov. 2023

However, the burglary suspect says a force held his head in the pool, resulting in him being baptized while in the church, the sheriff’s office said in news release. —Mark Price The Charlotte Observer (tns), al, 6 Aug. 2023

Weeks before his firing, Ferrell had been criticized by the Freedom From Religion Foundation for inviting a pastor to baptize players on school grounds after a practice on Oct. 23. —Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 16 Nov. 2023

In 2010, Nikki told The New York Times that she was baptized at St. Andrew By-the-Sea before their wedding; their children Rena and Nalin were also baptized in the Methodist Church. —Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 9 Nov. 2023

More from Carolyn Hax Answer this week’s reader question: My in-laws want to pay us to baptize our baby From the archive: How to leash in a sister-in-law who oversteps her bounds? —Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2023

At the time, the pastor’s words and the ceremony, which wasn’t required of others seeking to baptize their children, didn’t stand out. —Greg Jaffe and Patrick Marley, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Aug. 2023

There are plenty of us heathens who were baptized at birth. —Haben Kelati, Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2023

Their wedding weekend began with the couple getting baptized together. —Tricia Despres, Peoplemag, 18 Oct. 2023

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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

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