[a. OF. baptiste, ad. L. baptista, ad. Gr. βαπτιστής, n. of agent f. βαπτίζειν to BAPTIZE.]
1. One who baptizes; esp. as applied to John, the forerunner of Jesus Christ. Baptist’s day: the 24th of June.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 131. Seint iohan baptiste was bihaueded.
c. 1230. Ancr. R., 160. Sein Johan … was Godes baptiste.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 7000. Gret wodes everichon, I lete hem to the Baptist Johan.
1589. Warner, Alb. Eng., V. xxiv. (1597), 121. At Baptis-day with Ale and cakes bout bonfires neighbors stood.
1815. Scott, Ld. Isles, VI. iv. Ere John the Baptist’s eve.
1871. [see BAPTIZEE].
1879. Farrar, St. Paul, 463. Disciples of the Baptist.
2. One who immerses himself, or is immersed. rare.
1775. Adair, Amer. Ind., 296. The Baptist, or dipped person, came out … good-humoured after his purification.
c. 1811. Fuseli, Lect. Art, iv. (1848), 457. Varied groups of baptists, immersing themselves.
3. A member of that Protestant religious body which holds that baptism ought to be administered only to believers, and by immersion; at first and till present century, called, by opponents ANABAPTISTS. [Perhaps this use originated in the early names, Baptized Believers, Churches, etc. Cf. baptist(e early pa. pple. of BAPTIZE.]
[1654. (title) The Humble … Vindication … [of] severall of the Baptized Churches in this Nation.]
1654. W. Britten (title), The Moderate Baptist.
1674. J. Mead (title), A brief account of passages between Quakers and Baptists.
1852. Moore, Cherries. Methodists, of birds the aptest … And that water-fowl the Baptist.
1860. Eadie, Eccl. Cycl., s.v., A conspiracy … in 1661 … brought forth from the Baptists another disavowal of Anabaptist principles. [See ANABAPTIST 3.]
b. attrib. quasi-adj.
1717. (title) Rules of the Particular Baptist Fund.
1766. Entick, London, IV. 309. At the Boar’s-head … is a Baptist meeting.
1847. Nation. Cycl., II. 827. Persons who do not embrace the Baptist tenet.
