Baptizein

Baptizein is the Greek infinitive form of βαπτίζω, meaning to dip, plunge, or wash. In classical Greek it described washing or dipping of people, clothing, or vessels. In Koine Greek, still meaning to wash or purify, it also became the technical term for the Christian rite of baptism.

The word entered English via Latin and Old French from the Greek, giving baptism (noun) and baptize (verb). The basic verb has active and middle-passive forms: βαπτίζω (I baptize) and βαπτίζομαι (I am baptized); the present infinitive βαπτίζειν, the aorist βαπτίσαι. The passive form indicates receiving the rite.

In Christian usage, baptizein is most closely associated with the ritual act of baptism: the immersion or sprinkling with water that symbolizes purification and initiation into the church. The term appears throughout the New Testament and early Christian literature, where it is used to describe Jesus’ baptism and the practice of baptizing others. The ritual sense gave rise to the modern religious terms baptism and baptize, used widely in Christian theology, liturgy, and scholarship.

Scholars often discuss baptizein in the context of translation and interpretation of biblical texts, including questions about mode and symbolism of baptism across different Christian traditions. In sum, baptizein denotes the act of baptizing, rooted in Greek language and expanding into a central Christian rite.