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definitions

initial

[ih-nish-uh l]
See more synonyms for initial on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. of, relating to, or occurring at the beginning; first: the initial step in a process.
  2. Phonetics. occurring at the beginning of a word or syllable, as the (k) sound of kite, chasm, or quay.
noun
  1. an initial letter, as of a word.
  2. the first letter of a proper name.
  3. 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.
  1. to mark or sign with an initial or the initials of one's name, especially as a token of preliminary or informal approval.

Origin of initial

1520–30; < Latin initiālis, equivalent to initi(um) beginning (init-, noun derivative of inīre to enter, begin; in- in-2 + īre to go; cf. comes) + -ium -ium) + -alis -al1
Related formsin·i·tial·er, nounin·i·tial·ly, adverbpre·in·i·tial, verb (used with object)sub·in·i·tial, verb (used with object), sub·in·i·tialed, sub·in·i·tial·ing or (especially British) sub·in·i·tialled, sub·in·i·tial·ling.un·in·i·tialed, adjectiveun·in·i·tialled, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for initials

stamp, brand, label, impress, seal, endorse, confirm, ink, subsidize, secure, finance, provide, bankroll, sponsor, approve, guarantee, buy, owe, negotiate, settle

Examples from the Web for initials

Contemporary Examples of initials

Historical Examples of initials

  • The initials of those words are within here now, and were within here then.

    Little Dorrit

    Charles Dickens

  • At length, it was suggested that the letters were not initials, but the complete word, DIG.

    A Tale of Two Cities

    Charles Dickens

  • The initials to that letter are yours, and all the men I meet tell me that you have written it.

    The Christian

    Hall Caine

  • On the end of the suitcase are the initials ‘C. M.’ and ‘Chicago.’

  • Two of these are signed with his initials, but the one here given has no signature.

    Whittier-land

    Samuel T. Pickard

British Dictionary definitions for initials

initial

adjective
  1. of, at, or concerning the beginning
noun
  1. the first letter of a word, esp a person's name
  2. printing a large sometimes highly decorated letter set at the beginning of a chapter or work
  3. 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
  1. (tr) to sign with one's initials, esp to indicate approval; endorse
Derived Formsinitialer or initialler, nouninitially, adverb

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
Word Origin and History for initials

initial

v.

"to mark or sign with initials," 1864, American English, from initial (n.). Related: Initialed; initialing.

initial

n.

"initial letter of a name or surname," 1620s, from initial (adj.) in a specialized sense "standing at the beginning of a word, sentence, etc."

initial

adj.

1520s, "of or pertaining to a beginning," from Middle French initial or directly from Latin initialis "initial, incipient," from initium "a beginning, an entrance," from past participle stem of inire "to go into, enter upon, begin," from in- "into, in" (see in- (2)) + ire "to go" (see ion).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper