Baptism

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: bap=tism

CIDE DICTIONARY

Baptism, n. [OE. baptim, baptem, OF. baptesme, batisme, F. baptême, L. baptisma, fr. Gr. ba`ptisma, fr. bapti`zein to baptize, fr. ba`ptein to dip in water, akin to baqy`s deep, Skr. gāh to dip, bathe, v. i.].

 The act of baptizing; the application of water to a person, as a sacrament or religious ceremony, by which he is initiated into the visible church of Christ. This is performed by immersion, sprinkling, or pouring.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Baptism, n.
1 a the religious rite, symbolizing admission to the Christian Church, of sprinkling the forehead with water, or (usu. only with adults) by immersion, generally accompanied by name-giving. b the act of baptizing or being baptized.
2 an initiation, e.g. into battle.
3 the naming of ships, church bells, etc.

Idiom

baptism of fire
1 initiation into battle.
2 a painful new undertaking or experience.

Derivative

baptismal adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF ba(p)te(s)me f. eccl.L baptismus f. eccl.Gk baptismos f. baptizo BAPTIZE

DEVIL DICTIONARY

Baptism

n. A sacred rite of such efficacy that he who finds himself in heaven without having undergone it will be unhappy forever. It is performed with water in two ways -- by immersion, or plunging, and by aspersion, or sprinkling.

But whether the plan of immersion
Is better than simple aspersion
Let those immersed
And those aspersed
Decide by the Authorized Version,
And by matching their agues tertian.
G.J.

THESAURUS

Baptism

acceptance, admission, admittance, affusion, appellation, aspergation, aspersion, baptismal gown, baptismal regeneration, baptistery, baptizement, bath, bathing, bedewing, burial, calling, chrismal, christening, confirmation, dampening, damping, definition, deluge, denomination, designation, dewing, dip, dipping, dousing, drowning, duck, ducking, dunking, engulfment, enlistment, enrollment, extreme unction, flooding, font, holy orders, hosing, hosing down, humidification, identification, immergence, immersion, immission, inauguration, induction, infusion, initiation, installation, instatement, intromission, inundation, investiture, irrigation, laving, matrimony, moistening, naming, nicknaming, ordination, penance, rinsing, seven sacraments, sinking, souse, sousing, sparging, spattering, splashing, splattering, spraying, sprinkling, styling, submergence, submersion, swashing, terming, the Eucharist, total immersion, watering, wetting

ROGET THESAURUS

Baptism

Nomenclature

N nomenclature, naming, nuncupation, nomination, baptism, orismology, onomatopoeia, antonomasia, name, appelation, appelative, designation, title, heading, rubric, caption, denomination, by-name, epithet, style, proper name, praenomen, agnomen, cognomen, patronymic, surname, cognomination, eponym, compellation, description, antonym, empty title, empty name, handle to one's name, namesake, term, expression, noun, byword, convertible terms, technical term, cant, named, hight, ycleped, known as, what one may well, call fairly, call properly, call fitly, nuncupatory, nuncupative, cognominal, titular, nominal, orismological, beggar'd all description.

Rite

N rite, ceremony, ritual, liturgy, ceremonial, ordinance, observance, function, duty, form, formulary, solemnity, sacrament, incantation, service, psalmody, ministration, preaching, preachment, predication, sermon, homily, lecture, discourse, pastoral, baptism, christening, chrism, circumcision, baptismal regeneration, font, confirmation, imposition of hands, laying on of hands, ordination, excommunication, Bar Mitzvah, Bas Mitzvah, Bris, Eucharist, Lord's supper, communion, the sacrament, the holy sacrament, celebration, high celebration, missa cantata, asperges, offertory, introit, consecration, consubstantiation, transubstantiation, real presence, elements, mass, high mass, low mass, dry mass, matrimony, burial, visitation of the sick, seven sacraments, impanation, subpanation, extreme unction, viaticum, invocation of saints, canonization, transfiguration, auricular confession, maceration, flagellation, sackcloth and ashes, penance, telling of beads, processional, thurification, incense, holy water, aspersion, relics, rosary, beads, reliquary, host, cross, rood, crucifix, pax, pyx, agnus Dei, censer, thurible, patera, eileton, Holy Grail, prayer machine, prayer wheel, Sangraal, urceus, ritualism, ceremonialism, sabbatism, sabbatarianism, ritualist, sabbatarian, holyday, feast, fast, Sabbath, Pentecost, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Passion week, Holy week, Easter, Easter Sunday, Whitsuntide, agape, Ascension Day, Candlemas, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, Lammas, Martinmas, Michaelmas, All SAint's DAy, All Souls' Day, Ramadan, Ramazan, Bairam Passover, Shabuoth, Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, Rosh Hashana, New Year, Hanukkah, Chanukkah, Feast of Lights, Purim, Feast of lots, ritual, ritualistic, ceremonial, baptismal, eucharistical, paschal, what art thou, thou idol ceremony?.