baptism
bap‧tis‧m /ˈbæptɪzəm/
noun [uncountable and countable]
1. a Christian religious ceremony in which someone is touched or covered with water to welcome them into the Christian faith, and sometimes to officially name them ⇨ christening
2. baptism of/by fire a difficult or painful first experience of something:
The campaign has been a baptism of fire.
—baptismal /bæpˈtɪzməl/ adjective [only before noun]:
a baptismal font (=container for holding the water used at baptism)
bap‧tis‧m /ˈbæptɪzəm/
noun [uncountable and countable]1. a Christian religious ceremony in which someone is touched or covered with water to welcome them into the Christian faith, and sometimes to officially name them ⇨ christening
2. baptism of/by fire a difficult or painful first experience of something:
—baptismal /bæpˈtɪzməl/ adjective [only before noun]: