"baptize" means: To dedicate or christen.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
Definitions
#1·Apr 26, 2026
To dedicate or christen.
The general practice in the West Indies was to baptize, add color, and otherwise adulterate rum to make it appear better.
For parents
"baptize" means: To dedicate or christen.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
"baptize" means: To dedicate or christen.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
Was this helpful?
Comments
#2·Apr 26, 2026
(figurative) To Christianize.
In 1833 Charles Kingsley wrote of the Royal Victora Hall in the Waterloo Road as 'a licensed pit of darkness'. The darkness remained unrelieved until, in 1880, Miss Emma Cons took over the lease and baptized the drinks that were served a…
Was this helpful?
Comments
#3·Apr 26, 2026
(Christianity) To perform the sacrament of baptism by sprinkling or pouring water over someone or immersing them in water.
There's a good tavern nearby where they don't baptize liquor!
Origin: From , baptizen, from , batisier, from , , from. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Heard in the wild
“If the Mormons can baptize people in the grave, you can make Weird Al Jewish by acclaim.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Was this helpful?
Comments
For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "baptize".
⚡About Tech, Dev & AI slang
The vocabulary of software engineers, AI researchers, and anyone living in a terminal or on GitHub — from LLM to MCP, CORS to vibe coding, agentic to enshittification.
See all Tech, Dev & AI slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "baptize" (B)
Browse all slang words starting with B.