baptism

Meaning

Noun

• 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.
• A similar ceremony of initiation, purification or naming.

Origin

• From Middle English bapteme, baptesme, from Old French batesme or bapteme, from Ecclesiastical Latin, Late Latin baptisma, from Ancient Greek βάπτισμα ("dipping, baptism"), from βαπτίζω.