Definition of INITIAL

initial

Plural: initials

Noun

  • the first letter of a word (especially a person's name)
    • "he refused to put the initials FRS after his name"
  • The first letter of a word or a name.
  • In plural, the first letter of each word of a person's full name considered as a unit.
  • A distinguished initial letter of a chapter or section of a document.
  • onset, part of a syllable that precedes the syllable nucleus in phonetics and phonology.

Verb

Verb Forms: initialed, initialing, initials, initialled, initialling

  • To mark something with the first letter(s) of one's name.
  • mark with one's initials
  • To sign one's initial(s), as an abbreviated signature.

Adjective Satellite

  • occurring at the beginning
    • "took the initial step toward reconciliation"

Adj

  • Chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin.
  • Spatially first, placed at the beginning, in the first position; especially said of the first letter of a word.

Examples

  • Before starting the Words With Friends game, she initialed the score sheet to confirm her readiness.
  • Our initial admiration for their efficiency gave way to disgust about their methods.
  • Please initial each page and sign the contract in full at the bottom.
  • The initial letter of names is usually printed with a capital letter.
  • The initial stages of a syndrome may differ vastly from the final symptoms.
  • You can get your initials printed at the top.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle French initial or directly from its Latin etymon initiālis (“of the beginning, incipient, initial”), from initium (“a going in, entrance, beginning”), from inire (“to go in, enter upon, begin”), from in (“in”) + ire (“to go”).

Antonyms

eternal, final

Scrabble Score: 7

initial: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
initial: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
initial: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

initial: valid Words With Friends Word