christenchris‧ten /ˈkrɪsən/ verb [transitive] 
She was christened Sarah.2to give something or someone a name: His fans christened him the king of rock. The new plane has been christened the Hawk.3 informal to use something for the first time: We haven’t christened the new garden chairs yet.
WORD ORIGINchristen
Origin:
Old English cristnian, from cristen ‘Christian’, from Latin christianus; ➔ CHRISTIAN2VERB TABLE
christen
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | christen |
| he, she, it | christens | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | christened |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have christened |
| he, she, it | has christened | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had christened |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will christen |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have christened |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am christening |
| he, she, it | is christening | |
| you, we, they | are christening | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was christening |
| you, we, they | were christening | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been christening |
| he, she, it | has been christening | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been christening |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be christening |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been christening |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Derek christened his new sports car "Lightning."
- Former first lady Barbara Bush officially christened the ship.
- She was christened Jessica, but everyone calls her Jess.
- The band christened her "Mutti" after the German word for mother.
- The engine was affectionately christened "Puffing Billy".
- They christened him Patrick John.
- We christened the new mugs that same night.
- Compton proposed that the quantum of light could act as if it were a particle, and he christened this the photon.
- He took refuge on Christmas Eve at a settlement he christened Bethlehem.
- His first wife christened Emily, affectionately and universally known as Pem died on Christmas Day 1988 after 53 years happy marriage.
- Renata and Carla are what we were christened.
- The third boy, Diem, was born in 1901 and christened Jean-Baptiste in the cathedral at Hue.
- The troops did not appreciate the lack of comfort on cars 10-21 and christened them cattle-trucks.
- Yet, presumably, they would want him to christen their baby?
Longman Language Activatorto give someone or something a name that describes them
: call something something · They call Chicago "The Windy City".call somebody something · People call her "The Duck Lady of Lake Murray" because she been feeding the ducks there daily for five years.
to invent a name for someone or something, and use it whenever you talk about them, especially because you think it suits them or is funny: christen somebody/something something: · The band christened her "Mutti" after the German word for mother.· The engine was affectionately christened "Puffing Billy".
to give someone or something a name, often a humorous name, that describes their character - used especially in newspapers: dub somebody/something something: · The two men had such a reputation for drug abuse that they were dubbed "The Toxic Twins."· The program to distribute Thanksgiving turkeys was dubbed "Operation Gobble."
to give a name to someone or something: call somebody Paul/Jane etc · My mother wanted to call me Yuri.· Guidebooks call Chicago "The Windy City".· This is what psychologists call "body language".
to officially give someone or something a name: · Have they named the baby yet?name somebody Paul/Jane etc: · We named our daughter Sarah.name somebody/something after somebodyalso name somebody/something for somebody American: · Bill was named after his father.· The new building is going to be named for Ronald Reagan.
to give a baby its name at a Christian religious ceremony: christen somebody Paul/Jane etc: · They christened him Patrick John.· She was christened Jessica, but everyone calls her Jess.
to give something a new and different name: · You can rename, delete, or copy files very easily.rename something something: · New Amsterdam was renamed New York in the 17th Century.
WORD SETSabbess, nounabbey, nounabbot, nounabsolution, nounAdvent, nounalleluia, interjectionaltar boy, nounAnglican, nounAnglo-Catholic, nounapocalyptic, adjectiveapostle, nounapostolic, adjectivearchbishop, nounarchbishopric, nounarchdeacon, nounarchdiocese, nounArk of the Covenant, nounAsh Wednesday, nounAuthorized Version, banns, nounbaptism, nounBaptist, nounbaptize, verbbasilica, nounbeadle, nounbeatify, verbBenedictine, nounbenediction, nounbenefice, nounbiblical, adjectivebiretta, nounbishop, nounbishopric, nounblaspheme, verbblasphemy, nounbrother, nounbull, nounCalvinism, nounCalvinist, adjectivecanon, nouncanonical, adjectivecanonize, verbcanon law, nouncantor, nouncardinal, nouncardinal sin, nouncarol, nouncatechism, nouncathedral, nounCatholic, adjectivechantry, nounchapel, nounchaplain, nounchaplaincy, nounchapter, nounchapterhouse, nouncherub, nounChrist, nounchristen, verbChristendom, nounchristening, nounChristian, nounChristian, adjectivechurch, nounchurchgoer, nounchurchman, nounChurch of England, nounchurchwarden, nounchurchwoman, nounchurchyard, nounclergyman, nounclergywoman, nouncleric, nounclerical, adjectiveclerk, nouncloister, nouncollect, nouncommandment, nouncommunicant, nouncompline, nounconfess, verbconfession, nounconfessional, nounconfessor, nounconfirmation, nouncongregation, nounCongregationalism, nounconsecrate, verbcope, nouncreationist, nouncreche, nouncrib, nouncrosier, nouncrozier, nouncrucifix, nouncrucifixion, nouncrusade, nouncrusade, verbcrypt, nouncuracy, nouncurate, noundeacon, noundeaconess, noundean, noundeanery, noundiocese, noundisciple, noundisestablish, verbdispensation, noundog collar, nounDominican, nounEaster, nounecclesiastic, nounecclesiastical, adjectiveecumenical, adjectiveEden, nounelder, nounencyclical, nounEpiphany, nounepiscopal, adjectiveEpistle, nounevangelical, adjectiveevangelist, nounevangelize, verbevensong, nounexcommunicate, verbexegesis, nounfellowship, nounflagellant, nounflagellate, verbflock, nounfont, nounFr, friar, nounfrock, nounfundamentalist, noungargoyle, noungenuflect, verbgodfather, nounGod-fearing, adjectivegodless, adjectivegodly, adjectivegodmother, noungodparent, noungodson, nounGood Friday, noungrace, noungracious, adjectiveHail Mary, nounharvest festival, nounHigh Church, nounHigh Mass, nounHoly Communion, nounHoly Father, nounHoly Spirit, nounHoly Week, nounHoly Writ, nounhomily, nounhymn book, nounimprimatur, nounincarnation, nouninduct, verbindulgence, nouninquisitor, nouninterdenominational, adjectiveinterdict, nounJehovah, Jesuit, nounJesus, judgment day, nounlay, adjectivelay reader, nounlectern, nounlesson, nounlitany, nounLow Church, nounlychgate, nounMadonna, nounmanna, nounmanse, nounmatins, nounmeeting-house, nounmessianic, adjectiveMethodist, nounminister, nounministerial, adjectiveministry, nounminster, nounmiracle, nounmissal, nounmissionary, nounmitre, nounmoderator, nounMonsignor, nounMorning Prayer, nounmortal sin, nounMother of God, nounMother Superior, nounname day, nounNativity, nounNativity play, nounnave, nounNegro spiritual, nounNoah's ark, nounNonconformist, adjectivenuncio, nounoffertory, nounoratory, nounordination, nounoriginal sin, nounOur Father, nounOur Lady, Our Lord, padre, nounPalm Sunday, nounpapacy, nounpapal, adjectivepapist, nounparable, nounparish, nounparish church, nounparish clerk, nounparishioner, nounparochial, adjectiveparochial school, nounparson, nounparsonage, nounpassion play, nounpastor, nounpatriarch, nounpatron saint, nounpenance, nounpenitent, nounPentecost, nounPentecostal, adjectiveperdition, nounPlymouth Brethren, nounpontiff, nounpontifical, adjectivepontificate, nounPope, nounprayer book, nounpredestination, nounprelate, nounPresbyterian, nounpresbytery, nounpriest, nounPrimate, nounprior, nounprioress, nounpriory, nounPromised Land, the, Protestant, nounpsalm, nounpsalmist, nounpsalter, nounpulpit, nounQuaker, nounRC, rector, nounrectory, nounredeem, verbredemption, nounrequiem, nounRev, Revd, Reverend, nounReverend Mother, nounrevival, nounrevival meeting, nounRoman Catholic, adjectiverood screen, nounrosary, nounsacrament, nounsacristan, nounsacristy, nounsaint, nounsainted, adjectivesainthood, nounsaint's day, nounsalvation, nounsanctuary, nounSatan, nounsave, verbschism, nounscriptural, adjectivesecular, adjectivesee, nounseminary, nounseraph, nounsermon, nounsexton, nounShrove Tuesday, nounsister, nounsisterhood, nounSJ, special licence, nounsteeple, nounstigmata, nounstoup, nounSunday school, nounsurplice, nounsynod, nountabernacle, nountestify, verbtransubstantiation, nounTrappist, noununfrock, verbUnitarian, nounvenial, adjectivevespers, nounvestment, nounvestry, nounvicar, nounvicarage, nounvotive, adjectivevow, nounVulgate, the, nounWhitsun, nounwimple, nounXmas, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES a memorial service for the disaster victims
1to officially give a child its name at a Christian religious ceremony: a memorial service for the disaster victims She was christened Sarah.2to give something or someone a name: His fans christened him the king of rock. The new plane has been christened the Hawk.3 informal to use something for the first time: We haven’t christened the new garden chairs yet.