Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Initial

In-i′tial

,
Adj.
[L.
initialis
, from
initium
a going in, entrance, beginning, fr.
inire
to go into, to enter, begin; pref.
in-
in +
ire
to go: cf. F.
initial
. See
Issue
, and cf.
Commence
.]
1.
Of or pertaining to the beginning; marking the commencement; incipient; commencing;
as, the
initial
symptoms of a disease
.
2.
Placed at the beginning; standing at the head, as of a list or series;
as, the
initial
letters of a name
.

In-i′tial

,
Noun.
The first letter of a word or a name.

In-i′tial

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Initialed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Initialing
.]
To put an initial to; to mark with an initial of initials.
[R.]

Webster 1828 Edition

Initial

INI'TIAL

,
Adj.
[L. initialis, initium, beginning.]
1.
Beginning; placed at the beginning; as the initial letters of a name.
2.
Beginning; incipient; as the initial symptoms of a disease.

INI'TIAL

,
Noun.
The first letter of a name.

Definition 2024

initial

initial

English

Adjective

initial ‎(not comparable)

  1. Chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin.
    Our initial admiration for their efficiency gave way to disgust about their methods.‎
    The initial stages of a syndrome may differ vastly from the final symptoms.‎
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess:
      Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.
  2. Spatially first, placed at the beginning, in the first position; especially said of the first letter of a word.
    The initial letter of names is usually printed with a capital letter.‎
    • 1893, Walter Besant, The Ivory Gate, Prologue:
      Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

initial P (calligraphy)

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

Derived terms

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.
    Please initial each page and sign the contract in full at the bottom.

Translations

See also

Related terms

French

Pronunciation

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

Etymology

From Latin initialis, from initium 'beginning'

Adjective

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

  1. initial

Related terms

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin initialis

Noun

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

  1. an initial (first letter of a name)

References

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin initialis

Noun

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

  1. an initial (first letter of a name)

References

Etymology

From French, from Latin initialis ‎(“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): /ɪˈnɪʃəl/
  • Rhymes: -ɪʃəl

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