[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/christening.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / christening

[← C](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/C/)

# christening

«christening» in Mova's school dictionary: **a church ceremony in which a baby is baptised, given its…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 2 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a christening, christenings)

### meaning for a pupil

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://md.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://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#m2)

### sense 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://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#x1)
- The baby wore a long white christening gown. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#x2)
- At the christening the vicar poured water on her head. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#x3)
- My aunt and uncle are my godparents from my christening. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#x4)
- In Sleeping Beauty, the bad fairy came to the christening. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/#x5)
- We had cake and sandwiches after the christening. [tree →](https://md.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://md.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://md.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.

### In the corpora

- [Godparents are chosen at a christening to take a special interest in the child as it grows.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/19-a-new-baby-in-the-house/11/)
- [«Sure the cake was stale!» At a christening they end up singing together, crying, and it's over.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/474-feuds-between-families/17/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «christening» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/christening/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.