Baptizers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. One who administers a ceremonial act of initiation involving water
2. a person performing a ritual washing as a sign of spiritual purification or entry into a religious community
3. an individual who engages in the act of immersing or sprinkling someone for the purpose of blessing or consecration

Etymology: "Baptizers" is the plural of "baptizer," a noun meaning one who immerses or sprinkles someone for blessing or consecration. The base word, "baptize," comes from Ancient Greek "baptizein," built from "baptein," meaning "to dip" or "to immerse," which is also the root of the word for "dye" in some contexts. The Greek root passed into Late Latin as "baptizare," then into Old French as "baptiser," and reached Middle English as "baptisen." The agent suffix "-er" was added to the English verb "baptize," so "baptizer" simply means "one who baptizes." The same suffix appears in countless English agent nouns, such as "teacher" or "writer," and it traces back through Old English "-ere" and Latin "-arius."

Synonyms: baptists, initiators, immersers, ceremony leaders, ordainers