christening

1 of 2

noun

chris·​ten·​ing kri-sə-niŋ How to pronounce christening (audio)
ˈkris-niŋˈ
Synonyms of christeningnext
: the ceremony of baptizing and naming a child

christening

2 of 2

present participle of christen

Examples of christening in a Sentence

Noun The whole family was invited to the christening.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
New Chapter Princess Anne bounced newborn Peter on her knees while Queen Elizabeth gave him a little tickle during his christening in 1977. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026 Speaking during the christening ceremony for the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel Lone Star State, Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought announced the Golden Defender project. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026 Her cousin Prince Harry (who’s long been close to mom Zara) is reportedly Lena’s godfather, and attended her christening with wife Meghan Markle in 2019, per People. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 13 July 2026 The young family, who’ve chosen this new, secular tradition instead of a christening to welcome their child to the world, are there a day before the ceremony to meet up with core family members. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for christening

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of christening was in the 14th century

Rhymes for christening

See All Rhymes for christening

Browse Nearby Words

Christendom
christening
Christer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Christening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/christening. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

christening

noun
: the ceremony of baptizing and naming a child

More from Merriam-Webster on christening

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for christening

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about christening

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