baptism

C1 Topic:Religion & Belief

US /ˈbæptɪzəm/ UK /ˈbæptɪzəm/ See IPA manual

Freq #14151

Meanings

1

noun
a Christian sacrament or rite involving water that marks spiritual cleansing and admission to the Church

The child's baptism took place at the village church on Sunday.
2

noun
a ceremony of initiation, purification, or naming modeled on the Christian rite

The river ceremony served as a symbolic baptism into the community.
3

noun
a person's first difficult or intense experience of an activity or situation

The emergency landing was the young pilot's baptism of fire.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a christian sacrament or... christening

2 noun · a ceremony of initiation,... initiation

3 noun · a person's first difficult... initiationfirst ordeal

Opposites

debaptism

Word family

Derived forms anabaptismantibaptismbaptismalbaptismallycredobaptismdebaptismpaedobaptism

Related forms baptizeaffusionimmersion sacrament

Etymology

From Middle English bapteme or baptesme, through Old French and Ecclesiastical Latin baptisma, from Ancient Greek baptisma, "dipping, baptism." The Greek noun derives from baptizein, "to dip or immerse." The figurative initiation sense extends the rite's marking of entry into a new spiritual life.

Topics

Religion & Belief Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# baptism

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈbæptɪzəm/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈbæptɪzəm/
**Frequency rank:** 14151

## Meanings
1. a Christian sacrament or rite involving water that marks spiritual cleansing and admission to the Church
2. a ceremony of initiation, purification, or naming modeled on the Christian rite
3. a person's first difficult or intense experience of an activity or situation

## Examples
- The child's baptism took place at the village church on Sunday.
- The river ceremony served as a symbolic baptism into the community.
- The emergency landing was the young pilot's baptism of fire.

## Synonyms
- christening
- initiation

## Antonyms
- debaptism

## Derived Forms
- anabaptism
- antibaptism
- baptismal
- baptismally
- credobaptism
- debaptism
- paedobaptism

## Related Forms
- baptize
- affusion
- immersion
- sacrament

## Etymology
From Middle English bapteme or baptesme, through Old French and Ecclesiastical Latin baptisma, from Ancient Greek baptisma, "dipping, baptism." The Greek noun derives from baptizein, "to dip or immerse." The figurative initiation sense extends the rite's marking of entry into a new spiritual life.

## Topics
- Religion & Belief
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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