Other forms: baptisms
Baptism is the Christian rite of admitting somebody with water. Infant baptism, adult baptism, baptism by immersion.
The water may be poured, sprinkled or full immersion, and which one a church uses is a real point of difference between denominations. Infant baptism, often called a christening, and believers' baptism of adults are the two main traditions. Baptism of fire is a fixed phrase for a first experience that is brutally difficult. Note baptise, baptismal, and Baptist, which names churches practising adult baptism only.
1nounbaptismThe Christian rite of admitting somebody with water.
“The baptism was held in a river in about February.”
baptism is a religious rite.
Greek baptisma means a dipping, from baptein, to dip. The name records the original method, which is why churches that pour rather than immerse are using a word for something they no longer quite do.
Ancient Greek
βάπτισμα — dipping, baptism
Latin
baptisma
Old French
batesme
Middle English
bapteme
English, today
baptism
Built from
From Middle English bapteme, baptesme, from Old French batesme or bapteme, from Ecclesiastical Latin -, Latin baptisma, from Ancient Greek βάπτισμα (“dipping, baptism”), from βαπτίζω (“I dip in liquid”). Displaced native fulwiht.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA