CHRISTENING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does christening mean? 

• CHRISTENING (noun)
  The noun CHRISTENING has 1 sense:

1. giving a Christian name at baptism

  Familiarity information: CHRISTENING used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CHRISTENING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Giving a Christian name at baptism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("christening" is a kind of...):

baptism (a Christian sacrament signifying spiritual cleansing and rebirth)

Derivation:

christen (administer baptism to)

 Context examples 

Do not forget that we have a christening today! and running after him he took him by the sleeve, but was also held fast to it.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Humphrey Van Weyden, “the cold-blooded fish,” the “emotionless monster,” the “analytical demon,” of Charley Furuseth’s christening, in love!

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Elizabeth was chiefly struck by his extraordinary deference for Lady Catherine, and his kind intention of christening, marrying, and burying his parishioners whenever it were required.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

By my troth, young sir, he said, you are as long in the face as the devil at a christening, and I cannot marvel at it, for I have sailed these waters since I was as high as this whinyard, and yet I never saw more sure promise of an evil night.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Not that they had ever quarrelled (Miss Mills informed me); but that having been, on the occasion of Dora's christening, invited to tea, when they considered themselves privileged to be invited to dinner, they had expressed their opinion in writing, that it was better for the happiness of all parties that they should stay away.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I should like a drop of sweet red christening wine myself.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

The countryman then began to tell his tale, and said he was going to take the goose to a christening.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

So the pot was placed in safety, but it was not long before the cat had a great yearning for it, and said to the mouse: I want to tell you something, little mouse; my cousin has brought a little son into the world, and has asked me to be godmother; he is white with brown spots, and I am to hold him over the font at the christening.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)