Baptism

Baptism, from Greek βαπτίζω (baptízô), is a religious act of purification by water usually associated with admission to membership or fullness of membership of Christianity.

The Greek-English Lexicon of Liddell and Scott, the most authoritative source for the meaning of Greek words, gives the primary meaning of the word βαπτίζω, from which the English word baptism is derived, as dip, plunge, but indicates, citing Luke 11:38, that it was used also to mean perform ablutions.

By analogy, the English word "baptism" is used of any ceremony, trial, or experience by which one is initiated, purified, or given a name. It is thus used also of the Amrit (holy water) ceremony of Sikhism.

Because of the word's association with Christianity and its periodically repeated character, the Jewish purification rite of mikvah is not normally spoken of as baptism.