baptism

From Middle English bapteme, baptesme, from Old French batesme or bapteme, from Ecclesiastical Latin, Late Latin baptisma, from Ancient Greek βάπτισμα (báptisma, “dipping, baptism”), from βαπτίζω (baptízō, “I dip in liquid”). Displaced native Old English fulwiht.

• IPA^(key): /ˈbæptɪzəm/

• Audio (US):

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baptism (countable and uncountable, plural baptisms)

2. (Christianity) A Christian sacrament, by which one is received into a church and sometimes given a name, generally involving the candidate to be anointed with or submerged in water.

   Synonym: christening

   The child’s baptism was held at the old church.

   The ceremony of baptism symbolizes spiritual rebirth.

3. A similar ceremony of initiation, purification or naming.
4. (philosophy) The moment at which an object is first assigned a proper name.

• de-baptism, debaptism

• → Burmese: ဗတ္တိဇံ (batti.jam)
  • → Shan: ပပ်ႉတိၸမ်ႇ (pâ̰p tǐ tsàm)
• Hawaiian: papakema, papekema

• bit maps, bit-maps, bitmaps

Borrowed from French baptisme.

baptism n (uncountable)

1. a Baptist denomination