initiatory

American  

[ih-nish-ee-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / ɪˈnɪʃ i əˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

adjective

1. introductory; initial.

   an initiatory step toward a treaty.

2. serving to initiate or admit into a society, club, etc.

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initiatory British  

/ ɪˈnɪʃɪˌətərɪ /

adjective

1. of or concerning initiation or serving to initiate; initiative

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• initiatorily
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of initiatory

First recorded in 1605–15; initiate + -ory ¹

Example Sentences

That initiatory dinner consisted of mashed potatoes and jellied cranberry sauce from the can, a dish he loved because its sweet-and-sour flavor tasted faintly of home.

From New York Times • Nov. 15, 2016

Indeed we probably do injustice to the apostles themselves, in supposing that they considered their churches anything more than initiatory.

From History of American Socialisms by Noyes, John Humphrey

The world can not expect the initiatory movement for any change to be taken by those whose interests are served by the continuance of present conditions.

From Money: Speech of Hon. John P. Jones, of Nevada, On the Free Coinage of Silver; in the United States Senate, May 12 and 13, 1890 by Jones, John P. (John Percival)

The Stamp-Act, by which the experiment was now to be tried, being stripped of the odious machinery of collection, and operating indirectly, was a well contrived initiatory measure.

From The American Quarterly Review No. XVIII, June 1831 (Vol 9) by Various

It would be terrible to be re-captured in the initiatory stage of his journey to the Land of Golden Dreams.

From A Hero of Romance by Marsh, Richard