Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To baptize into a Christian church.
  • transitive verb To give a name to at baptism.
  • transitive verb To name.
  • transitive verb To name and dedicate ceremonially.
  • transitive verb To use for the first time.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Earlier form of Christian .
  • To baptize into the Christian church.
  • Specifically To baptize under a newly conferred name, especially in infancy; baptize and name as an infant.
  • In general, to name; denominate; give a name to.
  • To Christianize.
  • To engrave new names and marks on (stolen watches, silver plate, etc.) after obliterating the old, in order to prevent identification.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To baptize and give a Christian name to.
  • transitive verb To give a name; to denominate.
  • transitive verb obsolete To Christianize.
  • transitive verb colloq. To use for the first time.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To perform the religious act of the baptism, to baptise.
  • verb To name.
  • verb obsolete To Christianize.
  • verb colloquial To use for the first time.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb administer baptism to

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English cristnen, from Old English cristnian, from cristen, Christian; see Christian.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Christ +‎ -en

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word christen.

Examples

  • As for your admonition to allow a creator to "christen" their own creation, I have no problem with that provided there is no contextual conflict with an already existing naming convention.

    Recipe for Salmon "Kleftiko" (Σολομός Κλέφτικος) and Kleftiko: Its Modern Meaning Laurie Constantino 2008

  • Me, on the other hand, I like to be creative and "christen" things what I like.

    Recipe for Salmon "Kleftiko" (Σολομός Κλέφτικος) and Kleftiko: Its Modern Meaning Laurie Constantino 2008

  • Sculptor David Adickes will 'christen' his latest work (it's not an unveiling because the statues are too big to veil) Thursday night at his studio.

    Archive 2007-06-03 Bill Crider 2007

  • Nature's Human Nature, 'owever you fake' er up an 'christen' er!

    The Dop Doctor Richard Dehan 1897

  • They made a feast, or a meal, of the supper; and some use baptism just to give a child a name, -- to "christen" it, as they say, -- in mere compliance with a custom.

    Bertha and Her Baptism Nehemiah Adams 1842

  • Of particular interest is the last formula for christening, which doesn't use the word "christen" at all; instead, the minister "dedicates" the child/ren.

    UUpdates - All updates 2010

  • Of particular interest is the last formula for christening, which doesn't use the word "christen" at all; instead, the minister "dedicates" the child/ren.

    UUpdates - All updates 2010

  • Headlines such as "On a regular test drive, you're not allowed to 'christen' the back seat" are paired with ad copy that plays into the MTF theme, with specific messages of performance, fuel efficiency, and handling.

    AutoblogGreen 2008

  • However, as soon as he got alongside the captain and Mr Marline, they both shook hands with him, in order to give him a proper welcome to his new station, and the steward singing out a few minutes afterwards that dinner was ready, he was invited down into the cabin to "christen" his promotion, as it were, by partaking of that meal, in token of his being admitted to a social equality with his superior officers.

    The White Squall A Story of the Sargasso Sea J. [Illustrator] Schonberg

  • i thought you and john were going to "christen" your new sofa with "watching movies"

    Weekend Update: Alotta Fagina Edition vuboq 2006

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.