# baptism

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbæptɪzəm/ · frequency rank #13,861

## Definitions
1. 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.
2. A similar ceremony of initiation, purification or naming.
3. The moment at which an object is first assigned a proper name.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **Baptist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baptism-vs-baptist)
- **baptize** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baptism-vs-baptize)
- **Baptiste** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baptism-vs-baptiste)
- **baptismal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baptism-vs-baptismal)

## Common misspellings (11)
`abptism`, `bapitsm`, `bapptism`, `baptims`, `baptismm`, `baptissm`, `baptsim`, `bapttism`, `batpism`, `bbaptism`, `bpatism`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/baptism