baptize

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

: 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

bap·tized also bap·tisedbap·tiz·ing also bap·tis·ing

Full Definition of BAPTIZE

transitive verb

: to administer baptism to

a : to purify or cleanse spiritually especially by a purging experience or ordeal

b : initiate

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

intransitive verb

: to administer baptism

— bap·tiz·er noun

See baptize defined for English-language learners

See baptize defined for kids

Variants of BAPTIZE

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

Origin 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

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to BAPTIZE

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

Other Christian Religious Terms

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

Rhymes with BAPTIZE

abscise, advise, apprise, apprize, arise, assize, bite-size, breadthwise, capsize, chastise, clockwise, coastwise, cognize, comprise, crabwise, crack wise, crosswise, demise, despise, devise, disguise, disprize, door prize, downsize, earthrise, edgewise, emprise, endwise, excise, fanwise, franchise, full-size, grecize, high-rise, incise, king-size, leastwise, lengthwise, Levi's, life-size, likewise, low-rise, man-size, mid-rise, midsize, misprize, moonrise, nowise, outsize, piecewise, pint-size, premise, quantize, queen-size, remise, reprise, revise, rightsize, slantwise, streetwise, stylize, suffice, sunrise, surmise, surprise, trim size, twin-size, unwise, uprise

BAPTIZED Defined for Kids

baptize

verb bap·tize \bap-ˈtīz, ˈbap-ˌtīz\

bap·tizedbap·tiz·ing

Definition of BAPTIZE for Kids

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

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

Learn More About BAPTIZE

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for "baptize"

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "baptize"

Nglish: Translation of "baptize" for Spanish speakers

Britannica English: Translation of "baptize" for Arabic speakers

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