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
Among the guests at his Buckingham Palace christening was the then nine-year-old Princess Elizabeth, as well as the King and Queen, who served as godparents. — Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 10 Oct. 2026 During the ship’s christening, reservations to the specialty dining restaurants were hard to come by due to technical issues and scheduling errors, which will hopefully be ironed out when the next group sets sail. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 The three-week vacation to Barahona, Dominican Republic, included 11 family members and a close friend and was centered around the christening of Rojas' youngest son. — Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026 This summer has been a convenient whirlwind of ribbon-cuttings and christenings. — Emma Green, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 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 20 Oct. 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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