Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A part of a church or a separate building used for baptizing.
  • noun A font used for baptism.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A building or a portion of a building in which is administered the rite of baptism.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun In early times, a separate building, usually polygonal, used for baptismal services. Small churches were often changed into baptisteries when larger churches were built near.
  • noun A part of a church containing a font and used for baptismal services.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Alternative spelling of baptistry.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun bowl for baptismal water

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English baptisterie, from Old French, from Late Latin baptistērium, from Greek baptistērion, from baptizein, to baptize; see baptize.]

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