initial

1 of 3

adjective

ini·​tial i-ˈni-shəl 

1

: of or relating to the beginning : incipient

his initial reaction

2

: placed at the beginning : first

the initial word of the verse

initialness

i-ˈni-shəl-nəs 

noun

initial

2 of 3

noun

1

a

: the first letter of a name

b

initials plural : the first letter of each word in a full name

found that their initials were identical

2

: a large letter beginning a text or a division or paragraph

3

: anlage, precursor

specifically : a meristematic cell

initial

3 of 3

verb

initialed or initialled; initialing or initialling i-ˈni-sh(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to affix an initial to

2

: to authenticate or give preliminary approval to by affixing the initials of an authorizing representative

Synonyms of initial

Adjective

• first
• original
• inaugural
• earliest
• maiden
• foremost

Examples of initial in a Sentence

Adjective

you've resolved my initial complaint, but now I have a new question

Noun

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's middle initial stood for “Delano.”

She put her initials on each page of the contract.

The initials F.D.R. stood for “Franklin Delano Roosevelt.”

Verb

She initialed each page of the contract.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Actor, singer, and entrepreneur Tyrese Gibson has been part of FuelFest—founded in 2019—since Cody Walker shared his initial idea for it over dinner. — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 16 Sep. 2026

Rafael said the initial integration will support Israeli F-35I aircraft, with wider availability planned later. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026

Noun

Ferguson even appears to have his fiancée’s initials tattooed on his right ring finger, with Cavinder showing off her beau’s ink on TikTok in August 2024. — Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 13 Sep. 2026

No trace of him was ever found beyond a work tool engraved with his initials, his widow, Rose Ellen Dowdell, told the Daily News. — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026

Verb

Indiana law requires absentee ballots to be initialed by both a Republican and a Democratic election judge and include the signature and the seal of the county clerk. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 10 Aug. 2026

Before the contracts reach Noem, they must be approved by a series of political appointees, who each sign or initial a checklist sometimes referred to internally as a routing sheet. — Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French iniciel, from Latin initialis, from initium beginning, from inire to go into, from in- + ire to go — more at issue entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing initial

• initial coin offering
• initial public offering
• initial rhyme
• initial side

Rhymes for initial

• judicial
• marischal
• official
• simplicial
• surficial
• artificial
• beneficial
• cicatricial
• interstitial
• nonjudicial
• nonofficial
• prejudicial

Kids Definition

initial

1 of 3 adjective

ini·​tial in-ˈish-əl 

1

: of, relating to, or existing at the beginning : earliest

initial stages of a disease

2

: placed or standing at the beginning : first

the initial letter of a word

initially

-ˈish-(ə-)lē 

adverb

initial

2 of 3 noun

1

: a first letter of a name

2

: a large letter beginning a text or paragraph

initial

3 of 3 verb

initialed or initialled; initialing or initialling -ˈish-(ə-)liŋ 

: to mark with initials or an initial

initial a handkerchief