tr.v., -tened, -ten·ing, -tens.
- To baptize into a Christian church.
- To give a name to at baptism.
- To name: christened the kitten "Snowball."
- To name and dedicate ceremonially: christen a ship.
- To use for the first time: christened the new car by going for a drive.
[Middle English cristnen, from Old English cristnian, from cristen, Christian. See Christian.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
