initial
[ ih-nish-uh l ]
/ ɪˈnɪʃ əl /
adjective
of, relating to, or occurring at the beginning; first: the initial step in a process.
Phonetics. occurring at the beginning of a word or syllable, as the (k) sound of kite, chasm, or quay.
noun
an initial letter, as of a word.
the first letter of a proper name.
a letter of extra size or an ornamental character used at the beginning of a chapter or other division of a book, manuscript, or the like.
verb (used with object), in·i·tialed, in·i·tial·ing or (especially British) in·i·tialled, in·i·tial·ling.
to mark or sign with an initial or the initials of one's name, especially as a token of preliminary or informal approval.
RELATED CONTENT
RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
- inion,
- iniquitous,
- iniquitously,
- iniquity,
- init.,
- initial code,
- initial rhyme,
- initial teaching alphabet,
- initialism,
- initialize
Origin of initial
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for initially
initial
/ (ɪˈnɪʃəl) /
adjective
of, at, or concerning the beginning
noun
the first letter of a word, esp a person's name
printing a large sometimes highly decorated letter set at the beginning of a chapter or work
botany a cell from which tissues and organs develop by division and differentiation; a meristematic cell
verb -tials, -tialling or -tialled or US -tials, -tialing or -tialed
(tr) to sign with one's initials, esp to indicate approval; endorse
Word Origin for initial
C16: from Latin initiālis of the beginning, from initium beginning, literally: an entering upon, from inīre to go in, from in- ² + īre to go
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper