Definitions for Initial
ɪˈnɪʃ əlini·tial

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:4.6 / 9 votes

1. initialadjective

   the first letter of a word (especially a person's name)

   "he refused to put the initials FRS after his name"

2. initialverb

   occurring at the beginning

   "took the initial step toward reconciliation"

3. initialverb

   mark with one's initials

WiktionaryRate this definition:3.0 / 2 votes

1. initialnoun

   The first letter of a word or a name.

2. initialnoun

   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. initialnoun

   A distinguished initial letter of a chapter or section of a document.

4. initialnoun

   onset, part of a syllable that precedes the syllable nucleus in phonetics and phonology.

5. initialverb

   To sign one's initial(s), as an abbreviated signature.

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

6. initialadjective

   Chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin

7. initialadjective

   Spatially first, placed at the beginning, in the first position; especially said of the first letter of a word

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Initialadjective

   Etymology: initial, French; initialis, from initium, Lat.

   1. Placed at the beginning.

   In the editions, which had no more than the initial letters, he was made by Keys to hurt the inoffensive. Alexander Pope.

   2. Incipient; not complete.

   Moderate labour of the body conduces to the preservation of health, and cures many initial diseases; but the toil of the mind destroys health, and generates maladies. Gideon Harvey.

   The schools have used a middle term to express this affection, and have called it the initial fear of God. John Rogers.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Initial

   In a written or published work, an initial or drop cap is a letter at the beginning of a word, a chapter, or a paragraph that is larger than the rest of the text. The word is derived from the Latin initialis, which means standing at the beginning. An initial is often several lines in height and in older books or manuscripts, sometimes ornately decorated. In illuminated manuscripts, initials with images inside them, such as those illustrated here, are known as historiated initials. They were an invention of the Insular art of the British Isles in the eighth century. Initials containing, typically, plant-form spirals with small figures of animals or humans that do not represent a specific person or scene are known as "inhabited" initials. Certain important initials, such as the Beatus initial or "B" of Beatus vir... at the opening of Psalm 1 at the start of a vulgate Latin psalter These specific initials, in an illuminated manuscript, also were called initiums.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. initial

   Initial, as an adjective, refers to something that occurs at the beginning or start of a process, event, or situation. It can also describe a preliminary or introductory stage or step. As a noun, it denotes the first letter of a person's name or a word.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 2 votes

1. Initialadjective

   of or pertaining to the beginning; marking the commencement; incipient; commencing; as, the initial symptoms of a disease

2. Initialadjective

   placed at the beginning; standing at the head, as of a list or series; as, the initial letters of a name

3. Initialnoun

   the first letter of a word or a name

4. Initialverb

   to put an initial to; to mark with an initial of initials

5. Etymology: [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.]

WikidataRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Initial

   In a written or published work, an initial is a letter at the beginning of a word, a chapter, or a paragraph that is larger than the rest of the text. The word is derived from the Latin initialis, which means standing at the beginning. An initial often is several lines in height and in older books or manuscripts, sometimes ornately decorated. In illuminated manuscripts, initials with images inside them, such as those illustrated here, are known as historiated initials. They were an invention of the Insular art of the British Isles in the eighth century. Initials containing, typically, plant-form spirals with small figures of animals or humans that do not represent a specific person or scene are known as "inhabited" initials. Certain important initials, such as the B of Beatus vir ... at the opening of Psalm 1 at the start of a vulgate Latin psalter, could occupy a whole page of a manuscript. These specific initials, in an illuminated manuscript, also were called Initiums.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:2.0 / 3 votes

1. Initial

   in-ish′al, adj. commencing: placed at the beginning.—n. the letter beginning a word, esp. a name.—v.t. to put the initials of one's name to:—pr.p. init′ialing (-alling); pa.p. init′ialed (-alled).—v.t. Init′iāte, to make a beginning: to instruct in principles: to acquaint with: to introduce into a new state or society.—v.i. to perform the first act or rite.—n. one who is initiated.—adj. fresh: unpractised.—n. Initiā′tion, act or process of initiating: act of admitting to any society, by instructing in its rules and ceremonies.—adj. Init′iātive, serving to initiate: introductory.—n. an introductory step: the power or right of commencing.—adj. Init′iātory, tending to initiate: introductory.—n. introductory rite. [L. initialis—initium, a beginning, inīre, inītum—in, into, īre, ītum, to go.]

Editors ContributionRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. initial

   A number of letters to express a name.

   The employees did initial their change on the quality assurance procedure.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on March 15, 2020  

Matched Categories

1. • Sign

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Initial' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1626

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Initial' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3390

3. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Initial' in Adjectives Frequency: #207

How to pronounce Initial?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say Initial in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Initial in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Initial in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of Initial in a Sentence

1. Anthony Fauci:

   This should not be confused with the fact that for many immunocompromised people, already a second booster shot, namely a fourth dose of an mRNA, is recommended because of what we know about their poor response to the initial regimen.

2. Frank Stallone:

   That’s the only curse word in my documentary, i got screwed up … It was such a hit that I had no doubt in my mind that I would get an Oscar nomination. But then my brother calls me and goes, ‘ I got bad news. ’ My initial reaction was, ‘ Oh God, who died ? What happened ? ’ Then Oh God goes, ‘ They took another song to be nominated. ’ I just thought it was ridiculous. I felt like they bounced me out. And it would have been kind of cool to have two brothers nominated for Oscars, you know ? And the song was such a success. It took the wind out of my sails if you want me to be honest with you.

3. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang:

   China has already conducted an earnest investigation and we have also given initial feedback to the U.S. side, currently, we have not found any reasons or clues leading to the situation described by the United States.

4. Johann Klages:

   During the initial shipboard assessments, the unusual coloration of the sediment layer quickly caught our attention ; it clearly differed from the layers above it, we had found a layer originally formed on land, not in the ocean.

5. Neama Rahmani:

   Their initial actions weren’t consistent with folks who were concerned aboutthe well-being of their future daughter-in-law – they didn’t contact lawenforcement right away, they lawyered up, they potentially gave their son aweek-long head start.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=Initial
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Initial
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=Initial
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initial
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Initial
7. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=Initial
8. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=Initial