baptize

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verb bap·tize \ bap-ˈtīz , ˈbap-ˌ , especially Southern bab- or ˈbab- \

variants: or less commonly baptise

Definition of baptize

baptized also baptised; baptizing also baptising

transitive verb

1 religion :to administer baptism (see baptism 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 ¹purge 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

See baptize defined for English-language learners

See baptize defined for kids

Examples of baptize in a Sentence

The priest baptized the baby.
She was baptized at the age of 20.

Recent Examples of baptize from the Web

In a fall 2016 interview with The Times-Picayune, Foots' mother, Gloria Byrd, said her son had worked as a welder for Mobile Oil and took a part-time job as the janitor at Pentecost Baptist Church, where he was baptized.

— laura mcknight, NOLA.com, "NOPD seeks man for DNA swab in Jasmine Street killing," 18 July 2017
He was baptized on November 11, 1483, and some of the original remains of the font can still be seen in the middle of the chancel.

— jennifer billock, Smithsonian, "Trace Martin Luther’s Footsteps Through Germany," 26 June 2017
That was interrupted in 2015 when the church adopted new rules banning children living with gay parents from being baptized until age 18.

— CBS News, "Mormon church leaders cut microphone after young girl announces she's gay," 25 June 2017
Some of Mendelssohn’s religious works leave a funny taste, considering that he was raised in a Jewish household but was baptized Lutheran (on Bach’s birthday, no less).

— david patrick stearns, Philly.com, "Yannick has his way with Mendelssohn's symphonies in new three-disc set," 22 June 2017
On the surface, Vigilia is about St. John the Baptist and his fate to baptize Christ but meet an early, un-glorious death.

— david patrick stearns, Philly.com, "A vigil from Finland envelops the Barnes," 18 June 2017
Ruth Graham stuck with her denomination – her parents were Presbyterian medical missionaries in China – and refused to be baptized by immersion, the way Baptists do.

— tim funk, charlotteobserver, "Nearly festive 2007 service honored Ruth Graham’s devotion to family, Christ," 16 June 2017
The 18-year-old, who was baptized and confirmed as a Methodist, doesn’t believe in an afterlife, but still believes in a God.

— clare ansberry, WSJ, "The Teenage Spiritual Crisis," 13 June 2017
Lisa Dvorak and her husband were married at St. Leo's and each of their four children was baptized there.

— talia richman, baltimoresun.com, "Thousands gather for annual Feast of St. Anthony in Little Italy," 11 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'baptize.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of baptize

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

baptize Synonyms

Synonyms

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

Related Words

brand, stigmatize, tag; denote, specify; miscall, misname, mistitle; code-name, nickname; rechristen, relabel, rename; surname

Near Antonyms

can, discharge, fire, terminate; muster out

Other Christian Religious Terms

Pentateuch, blasphemy, curate, doxology, eremite, iconoclasm, liturgy, orison, pneuma, reliquary

BAPTIZE Defined for English Language Learners

baptize

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verb

Definition of baptize for English Language Learners

: to perform the ceremony of baptism for (someone)
: to officially make someone a member of a specified Christian church through the ceremony of baptism
: to give (someone) a name through the ceremony of baptism