initiate
[verb ih-nish-ee-eyt; adjective, noun ih-nish-ee-it, -eyt]
- to begin, set going, or originate: to initiate major social reforms.
- to introduce into the knowledge of some art or subject.
- to admit or accept with formal rites into an organization or group, secret knowledge, adult society, etc.
- to propose (a measure) by initiative procedure: to initiate a constitutional amendment.
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- initiated; begun.
- admitted into an organizaton or group, secret knowledge, etc.
- introduced to the knowledge of a subject.
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- a person who has been initiated.
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Origin of initiate
Synonyms
See more synonyms for initiate on Thesaurus.com1. commence; introduce, inaugurate, open. 2. teach, instruct, indoctrinate, train.
Synonym study
1. See begin.
Antonyms
1. conclude.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for initiate
Contemporary Examples
The feminist movement has encouraged women that they can initiate romantic relationships, too.
“Tesla will not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technology,” he wrote.
Men need to step up and have this discussion, and not rely on women to initiate and lead it.
Initiate a dialogue about how we are all kind of like little people, if you think about it, at least compared to the One Percent.
They can initiate ideas and catalyze a certain form, but the trick is not to begin, but to sustain.
Historical Examples
What they meant was not for the profane, or even for the initiate.
The Paliser caseEdgar Saltus
It is mine to initiate you into the highly respectable mysteries.
Despair's Last JourneyDavid Christie Murray
No guide-book ever can initiate you into the atmosphere of a city like Prague.
From a Terrace in PragueLieut.-Col. B. Granville Baker
The Senate, however, cannot initiate a treaty, the President alone can do that.
Ethics in ServiceWilliam Howard Taft
So then we began to initiate the plan of the new expedition.
Beasts, Men and GodsFerdinand Ossendowski
initiate
- to begin or originate
- to accept (new members) into an organization such as a club, through often secret ceremonies
- to teach fundamentals toshe initiated him into the ballet
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- initiated; begun
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- a person who has been initiated, esp recently
- a beginner; novice
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Word Origin
C17: from Latin initiāre (vb), from initium; see initial
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 initiate
n.
"one who has been initiated," 1811, from past participle adjective initiate (c.1600); see initiate (v.).
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v.
c.1600, "introduce to some practice or system," also "begin, set going," from Latin initiatus, past participle of initiare "to begin, originate," from initium "beginning" (see initial). In some senses a back-formation from initiation. Related: Initiated; initiates; initiating; initiator.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper