Bäp'tist, n.

n. [Lat. baptista, Gr. Βαπτιστής.]

1. One who administers baptism, specifically applied to John, the forerunner of Christ. “Him the Baptist soon deserted.” Milton.
2. As a contraction of Anabaptist, one who denies the doctrine of infant baptism, and maintains that baptism ought to be administered only to adults or believers by immersing the body in water.