1. the act of pouring water on someone or something, especially as part of a baptismal ceremony
Usage: religious; formal
2. a medical treatment involving the pouring of water over the body
Usage: medical; historical

Examples

• The priest performed the baptism by affusion rather than full immersion.
• Affusion was considered a valid form of baptism when full immersion was not possible.
• The spa offered affusion treatments using mineral water.
• Historical medical texts describe affusion as a remedy for fever.
• The gentle affusion of cool water provided relief from the heat.
• Affusion baptism involves pouring water three times over the candidate’s head.