christened; christening
ˈkri-sə-niŋ 
ˈkris-niŋ
1
a
: baptize sense 1
was christened when he was three months old
b
: to name at baptism
They christened the baby Anne.
2
: to name or dedicate (something, such as a ship) by a ceremony that often involves breaking a bottle of champagne
3
: name sense 1
The newspaper christened her as the reigning Queen of Tennis.
4
: to use for the first time
They christened the new ballpark with a win.
Synonyms
Examples of christen in a Sentence
He was christened when he was three months old.
They christened the baby Anna.
The politician was chosen to christen a new ship.
The newspaper has christened her as the reigning Queen of Tennis.
They christened the new ball park with a win.
Recent Examples on the Web
It’s said that upon seeing a paparazzi image of Jackie Kennedy with the bag (then called the Fifties Constance), the Gucci family swiftly christened it The Jackie.
—
Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2024
It was christened that way by the Pope, or at the very least by bartenders looking to educate the public on the drink.
—Rob Ledonne, Vogue, 20 Sep. 2024
The German shepherd originally christened Etzel von Oeringen played the starring role in the first film adaptation of Jack London's White Fang.
22 of 22
Honorable Mentions
There are a few other edge cases worth mentioning that aren't quite fictional characters, but aren't real entertainers either.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 18 Sep. 2024
Princess Lilibet was christened in a small ceremony at Prince Harry and Meghan's Montecito home in March 2023.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for christen 
Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2024
It was christened that way by the Pope, or at the very least by bartenders looking to educate the public on the drink.
—Rob Ledonne, Vogue, 20 Sep. 2024
The German shepherd originally christened Etzel von Oeringen played the starring role in the first film adaptation of Jack London's White Fang.
22 of 22
Honorable Mentions
There are a few other edge cases worth mentioning that aren't quite fictional characters, but aren't real entertainers either.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 18 Sep. 2024
Princess Lilibet was christened in a small ceremony at Prince Harry and Meghan's Montecito home in March 2023.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for christen
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'christen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near christen
Cite this Entry
“Christen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/christen. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.
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