baptistry

B3A1P3T1I1S1T1R1Y4

noun

A designated space within a church, or a separate room or building associated with a church, where a baptismal font is located, and consequently, where the sacrament of Christian baptism (via aspersion or affusion) is performed.

Similar
baptismal fontbaptisteryfont
OriginMiddle English baptistery ← Ecclesiastical Latin baptistērium ← Ancient Greek βαπτιστήριον →
RareScrabble 16
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Meanings

nounbaptistry (plural baptistries)

plural baptistries · alternative baptistery

  1. ChristianityA designated space within a church, or a separate room or building associated with a church, where a baptismal font is located, and consequently, where the sacrament of Christian baptism (via aspersion or affusion) is performed.
  2. An indoor pool used for baptism by immersion.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounbowl for baptismal water

Similar
baptismal fontbaptisteryfont
Broader
basin
Also see
baptismal fontfont

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekβαπτιστήριον
  2. Ecclesiastical Latinbaptistērium
  3. Middle Englishbaptistery
  4. Englishbaptistry

From Middle English baptistery, baptisterie, from Ecclesiastical Latin baptistērium, from Ancient Greek βαπτιστήριον (baptistḗrion); equivalent to baptism + -ry.

More words from Middle English, Ecclesiastical Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian баптисте́рий, кръщелня
  • баптисте́рий (baptistérij)space where a baptismal font is located
  • кръщелня (krăštelnja)space where a baptismal font is located
Catalan baptisteri
  • baptisterispace where a baptismal font is located
Chinese Mandarin 洗禮堂 /洗礼堂
  • 洗禮堂 /洗礼堂 (xǐlǐtáng)space where a baptismal font is located
Czech baptisterium
  • baptisteriumspace where a baptismal font is located
Danish dåbskapel
  • dåbskapelspace where a baptismal font is located
Dutch baptisterium, doopkapel
  • baptisteriumspace where a baptismal font is located
  • doopkapelspace where a baptismal font is located
Esperanto baptisterio
  • baptisteriospace where a baptismal font is located
Estonian baptisteerium
  • baptisteeriumspace where a baptismal font is located
Finnish kastekappeli, baptisterio
  • kastekappelispace where a baptismal font is located
  • baptisteriospace where a baptismal font is located
French baptistère
  • baptistèrespace where a baptismal font is located
German Baptisterium, Taufkapelle
  • Baptisteriumspace where a baptismal font is located
  • Taufkapellespace where a baptismal font is located
  • Taufkirchespace where a baptismal font is located
Greek βαπτιστήριο
  • βαπτιστήριο (vaptistírio)space where a baptismal font is located
Hungarian keresztelőkápolna, baptisztérium
  • keresztelőkápolnaspace where a baptismal font is located
  • baptisztériumspace where a baptismal font is located
Italian battistero
  • battisterospace where a baptismal font is located
Japanese 洗礼堂
  • 洗礼堂 (seirei-dō)space where a baptismal font is located
Korean 세례당
  • 세례당 (seryedang)space where a baptismal font is located
Latin baptistērium
  • baptistēriumspace where a baptismal font is located
Norwegian Bokmål baptisterium, dåpskapell
  • baptisteriumspace where a baptismal font is located
  • dåpskapellspace where a baptismal font is located
Polish baptysterium
  • baptysteriumspace where a baptismal font is located
Portuguese batistério
  • batistériospace where a baptismal font is located
Romanian baptisteriu
  • baptisteriuspace where a baptismal font is located
Russian баптисте́рий
  • баптисте́рий (baptistérij)space where a baptismal font is located
Slovak baptistérium
  • baptistériumspace where a baptismal font is located
Spanish baptisterio
  • baptisteriospace where a baptismal font is located
Swedish baptisterium, dopkapell
  • baptisteriumspace where a baptismal font is located
  • dopkapellspace where a baptismal font is located
  • dopkyrkaspace where a baptismal font is located
Tagalog binyagan, bawtisteryo
  • binyaganspace where a baptismal font is located
  • bawtisteryospace where a baptismal font is located
Turkish vaftizhane
  • vaftizhanespace where a baptismal font is located
Ukrainian баптисте́рій
  • баптисте́рій (baptystérij)space where a baptismal font is located
Cite this entry
APA

baptistry. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/baptistry

MLA

“baptistry.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/baptistry. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “baptistry,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/baptistry.

Source: baptistry on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.