baptism
UK[ˈbæptɪzəm]US[ˈbæpˌtɪzəm]
n
a Christian ceremony in which a person is touched or covered with water to welcome them into the Christian faith and sometimes to officially give them a name
n
an experience or event that is a first, especially one that is difficult or that initiates someone into a new role or activity
Morpheme Breakdown
bapt
ism
bapt
to dip, immerse
ism
act, practice, condition
Etymology
The word 'baptism' originates from the Greek verb 'baptein', which meant 'to dip, immerse, or wash'. This term was adopted into Christian ecclesiastical Latin as 'baptismus' to specifically denote the religious rite of initiation involving water. The suffix '-ism', derived from Greek '-ismos', was added to form a noun describing the practice or ceremony itself. Thus, the literal meaning of "the act of immersing" evolved into the specific theological and symbolic concept of spiritual purification and initiation central to Christian tradition.
Analysis
Structure: bapt (to dip, immerse) + ism (act, practice, condition)
bapt (from Greek 'baptein', meaning to dip, immerse, or wash); ism (a suffix of Greek origin via Latin, forming nouns indicating an action, practice, or condition).
Examples
The infant's baptism was held at the local chapel last Sunday.
Surviving that intense negotiation was a real baptism by fire for the new diplomat.
He viewed his first solo performance as a baptism into the world of professional theatre.