baptism
The definition of baptism is a religious ceremony that involves a brief immersion in water or water being sprinkled over the head or forehead as a symbol of washing away sin.
(noun)When a member of the clergy sprinkles water on your forehead and says he does this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, that is an example of baptism.
See baptism in Webster's New World College Dictionary
noun
- a baptizing or being baptized; specif., the ceremony or sacrament of admitting a person into Christianity or a specific Christian church by immersing the individual in water or by pouring or sprinkling water on the individual, as a symbol of washing away sin and of spiritual purification
- any experience or ordeal that initiates, tests, or purifies
Origin: ME & OFr baptesme < LL(Ec) baptisma, Christian baptism < L, a dipping under < Gr < baptizein: see baptize
Related Forms:
- baptismal adjective
- baptismally adverb
See baptism in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
- A religious sacrament marked by the symbolic application of water to the head or immersion of the body into water and resulting in admission of the recipient into the community of Christians.
- A ceremony, trial, or experience by which one is initiated, purified, or given a name.
Origin:
Origin: Middle English baptisme
Origin: , from Old French
Origin: , from Late Latin baptismus
Origin: , from Greek baptismos
Origin: , from baptizein, to baptize; see baptize
.Related Forms:
- bap·tisˈmal adjective
- bap·tisˈmal·ly adverb
See baptism in Ologies
Baptism
See also christianity; religion.
a member of a 16th-century Anabaptist sect who refused to learn to read, arguing that the guidance of the Holy Spirit was sufficient for the understanding of the Bible.
1. a belief in adult, as opposed to infant baptism.
2. membership in various Protestant sects advocating adult baptism. —Anabaptist, n., adj.
antipedobaptism, antipaedobaptism
the denial, on scriptural grounds, of the validity of infant baptism. —antipedobaptist, antipaedobaptist, n.
baptisaphily
an interest in collecting Christian baptismal names.
catabaptist
an opponent of baptism.
conditional baptism
Christian baptism administered when there is doubt whether a person has already been baptized or whether a former baptism is valid.
hemerobaptism
the practice of ancient Jewish and early Christian sects involving daily ceremonial baptisms or ablutions. —hemerobaptist, n.
holobaptism
a belief in baptism by immersion. Also called immersionism. —holobaptist, n.
a belief that baptism effects a new birth or regeneration. Also palingenesy. —palingenesist, n. —palingenesian, adj.
parabaptism
a baptism that is in some way irregular or unauthorized. —parabaptist, n.
pedobaptism, paedobaptism
the historic Christian practice of infant baptism. —pedobaptist, paedobaptist, n.
ubbenite
a member of a sect of Anabaptists founded in Germany in 1534 by Ubbe Phillips.
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