Initial

Adjective

 * 1) Chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin
 * Our initial'' admiration for their efficiency gave way to disgust about their methods
 * ''The initial stages of a syndrome may differ vastly from the final symptoms
 * 1) Spatially first, placed at the beginning, in the first position; especially said of the first letter of a word

Synonyms

 * incipient
 * opening

Antonyms

 * final

Derived terms

 * initially
 * initialness

Noun



 * 1) The first letter of a word or a name.
 * 2) 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.
 * 1)  A distinguished initial letter of a chapter or section of a document.

Synonyms

 * drop cap, versal

Derived terms

 * initialism
 * initial teaching alphabet

Verb

 * 1)  To sign one's initial(s), as an abbreviated signature.
 * Please initial each page and sign the contract in full at the bottom.

Thesaurus
OK, abecedarian, aboriginal, accept, accredit, affirm, alpha, alphabet, alphabetize, amen, antecedent, antenatal, approve, authenticate, authorize, autochthonous, autograph, basic, beginning, breaking-in, budding, capitalize, certify, character, commencing, confirm, cosign, countersign, creative, earliest, early, elemental, elementary, embryonic, endorse, fetal, first, first blush, first glance, first impression, first inning, first lap, first move, first round, first sight, first stage, first step, foremost, formative, foundational, fundamental, gambit, germinal, gestatory, give permission, give the go-ahead, give the imprimatur, give thumbs up, headmost, in embryo, in its infancy, in the bud, inaugural, inceptive, inchoate, inchoative, incipient, incunabular, infant, infantile, initiative, initiatory, inscribe, introductory, inventive, le premier pas, leading, letter, maiden, mark, monogram, nascent, natal, notarize, opening, opening move, original, parturient, pass, pass on, pass upon, permit, pioneer, postnatal, pregnant, prenatal, primal, primary, prime, primeval, primitive, primitiveness, primitivity, primogenial, procreative, ratify, rubber stamp, rudimental, rudimentary, sanction, say amen to, seal, second, sign, sign and seal, subscribe to, support, swear and affirm, swear to, transcribe, transliterate, undersign, underwrite, ur, validate, visa, vise, warming-up, warrant

Etymology
From <  initialis: < initium: < inire: < in: + ire:.

Adjective

 * Czech: ,
 * Dutch: initieel, aanvankelijk, begin-, vroeg
 * Finnish: alku-,,  ,  ,


 * German: ,
 * Portuguese:
 * Scottish Gaelic:


 * Czech:
 * Dutch: initieel, eerste, begin-, voorste


 * Finnish:
 * German: ,


 * : komenca
 * : esialgne


 * : initial
 * : inicial

Noun

 * Arabic:
 * Armenian:
 * Dutch: beginletter, initiaal; (for first names only) voorletter
 * French: lettrine (1), initiale (2)


 * Serbian:
 * Cyrillic: иницијал
 * Roman: inicijal


 * Finnish:


 * Finnish:

Verb

 * Dutch: paraferen
 * French:


 * Russian: парафировать

Related terms

 * initiate
 * initiation
 * initiative
 * initialize
 * init

Adjective

 * 1) initial

Etymology
From initialis, from initium 'beginning'

Related terms

 * initiale
 * initialement
 * initialiser