[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/christening/)

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# christening

noun (a christening, christenings)

«christening» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (church) A christening is a church ceremony in which a baby is baptised, given its Christian name and welcomed into the Church. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#m1)
2. The first use of a new thing, such as a ship's launch or new shoes (joking). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#m2)

### In the lessons

In everyday family life a christening is a happy event: the baby wears white, godparents make promises, water is poured on the baby's head, and there is often a party after. In stories, a fairy may come to a royal christening (Sleeping Beauty). Phrases: «christening gown», «christening party», «christening cake», «godparents at a christening».

### Examples

- We went to my baby cousin's christening on Sunday. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#x1)
- The baby wore a long white christening gown. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#x2)
- At the christening the vicar poured water on her head. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#x3)
- My aunt and uncle are my godparents from my christening. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#x4)
- In Sleeping Beauty, the bad fairy came to the christening. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#x5)
- We had cake and sandwiches after the christening. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#x6)
- The new ship's christening was done by breaking a bottle on it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#x7)
- A few weeks later the minister was asked to attend a christening in the neighbouring town. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#x8)

### Note

Countable. Verb: christen (the «t» is silent: KRIS-en). Christening and baptism are almost the same; «baptism» is the general church word, also for adults. Some churches baptise only older believers, not babies.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «christening» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«christening» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/christening.html) on Mova free.