different between initials vs initial

English

Noun

initials

1. plural of initial

Noun

initials pl (plural only)

1. An abbreviation of a person's name, constructed by taking the initial letters of first, last, and sometimes middle name(s). See monogram

Translations

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.