different between initial vs initiate

English

Etymology

From Middle French initial or straightway from its Latin etymon initi?lis (“of the beginning, incipient, initial”), from initium (“a going in, entrance, beginning”), from inire (“to go in, enter upon, begin”), from in (“in”) + ire (“to go”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??n???l/
• Rhymes: -???l

Adjective

initial (not comparable)

1. Chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin.
2. Spatially first, placed at the beginning, in the first position; especially said of the first letter of a word.

Synonyms

• incipient
• opening

Antonyms

• final

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

initial (plural initials)

1. The first letter of a word or a name.
2. In plural, the first letter of each word of a person's full name considered as a unit.

   You can get your initials printed at the top.

3. (typography, calligraphy) A distinguished initial letter of a chapter or section of a document.
4. (phonology) onset, part of a syllable that precedes the syllable nucleus in phonetics and phonology.

Synonyms

• (typography, calligraphy): drop cap, versal

Derived terms

• initialism
• initial teaching alphabet

Translations

Verb

initial (third-person singular simple present initials, present participle initialing or initialling, simple past and past participle initialed or initialled)

1. (transitive) To sign one's initial(s), as an abbreviated signature.

Translations

Related terms

See also

• middle

Further reading

• initial in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• initial in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• initial at OneLook Dictionary Search

French

Etymology

From Latin initi?lis, from initium (“beginning”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i.ni.sjal/
• Rhymes: -al

Adjective

initial (feminine singular initiale, masculine plural initiaux, feminine plural initiales)

1. initial

Related terms

Further reading

• “initial” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ini?t?s??a?l/

Adjective

initial (not comparable)

1. initial, incipient

Declension

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin initi?lis.

Noun

initial m (definite singular initialen, indefinite plural initialer, definite plural initialene)

1. an initial (first letter of a name)

References

• “initial” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin initi?lis.

Noun

initial m (definite singular initialen, indefinite plural initialar, definite plural initialane)

1. an initial (first letter of a name)

References

• “initial” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin initi?tus, perfect passive participle of initi? (“begin, originate”), from initium (“a beginning”), from ine? (“go in, enter upon, begin”), from in + e? (“go”).

Pronunciation

• (verb) IPA^(key): /??n??.?.e?t/
• (noun, adjective) IPA^(key): /??n??.?.?t/
• Hyphenation: ini?ti?ate

Noun

initiate (plural initiates)

1. A new member of an organization.
2. One who has been through a ceremony of initiation.

Translations

Verb

initiate (third-person singular simple present initiates, present participle initiating, simple past and past participle initiated)

1. (transitive) To begin; to start.
   • 1859-1860, Isaac Taylor, Ultimate Civilisation

     How are changes of this sort to be initiated?

2. To instruct in the rudiments or principles; to introduce.
   • 1653-1655, Henry More, An Antidote against Atheism

     Divine Providence would only initiate and enter mankind into the useful knowledge of her, leaving the rest to employ our industry.

   • to initiate his pupil in any part of learning

3. To confer membership on; especially, to admit to a secret order with mysterious rites or ceremonies.
   • 1738-1741, William Warburton, Divine Legation of Moses demonstrated on the Principles of a Religious Deist

     The Athenians believed that he who was initiated and instructed in the mysteries would obtain celestial honour after death.

   • He was initiated into half a dozen clubs before he was one and twenty.

4. (intransitive) To do the first act; to perform the first rite; to take the initiative.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Alexander Pope to this entry?)

Antonyms

• (to begin): end, conclude, complete, finish

Related terms

Translations

Adjective

initiate (comparative more initiate, superlative most initiate)

1. (obsolete) Unpractised; untried; new.
2. (obsolete) Begun; commenced; introduced to, or instructed in, the rudiments; newly admitted.

Further reading

• initiate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• initiate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• initiate at OneLook Dictionary Search

Latin

Participle

initi?te

1. vocative masculine singular of initi?tus