baptize
/ˈbæptaɪz/
"baptize" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“baptize” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #42,541 in English word frequency and used as a verb.
- #42,541
- frequency rank, English
- 7
- letters
- 10
- tracked misspellings
- 4
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To perform the sacrament of baptism by sprinkling or pouring water over someone or immersing them in water.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | baptize |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈbæptaɪz/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Frequency rank | #42,541 |
| Misspellings tracked | 10 |
| Confusable pairs | 4 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “baptize” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for baptize is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbæptaɪz/. Corpus data places it at rank #42,541 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for baptize, with forms such as "abptize", "bapitze", and "bapptize". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "baptized", "Baptist", "baptism", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English baptisen, baptizen, from Old French baptiser, batisier, from Ecclesiastical Latin, Late Latin baptizāre, from Ancient Greek βαπτίζω (baptízō, “to immerse, plunge, baptize”). The correct English form is baptize, spelled B-A-P-T-I-Z-E.
Definition
- 1To perform the sacrament of baptism by sprinkling or pouring water over someone or immersing them in water.
- 2To Christianize.
- 3To dedicate or christen.
- 4Of rum, brandy, or any other spirits, to dilute with water.
- 5To ensure proper burning of a joint by moistening the exterior with saliva.
- 6To extinguish the life of.
Etymology
From Middle English baptisen, baptizen, from Old French baptiser, batisier, from Ecclesiastical Latin, Late Latin baptizāre, from Ancient Greek βαπτίζω (baptízō, “to immerse, plunge, baptize”).
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: abptize,bapitze,bapptize,baptiez,baptizze,bapttize,baptzie,batpize,bbaptize,bpatize
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of baptize - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "baptize"?
What does "baptize" mean?
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Using “baptize”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is B-A-P-T-I-Z-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈbæptaɪz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “baptized” - see the side-by-side comparison. baptize vs baptized
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.