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

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

The items collect dust, and the space is rarely revisited after the initial setup until the holidays come around. —Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025

Executives’ initial efforts aren’t promising. —Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025

Noun

Other personal wedding details included Prada making a custom dress for Borrayo with her late brother's initials inside her corset next to her heart — a thoughtful gesture that made her cry. —Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025

While Greeks and Romans were the first to plant grapevines on the Rhône River’s steep slopes, the modern era of winemaking in this part of southeastern France dates back to the 18th century, when wine barrels were marked with the initials CDR for Côte du Rhône. —Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2025

Verb

The 17-point agreement initialed by the two leaders is the key to normalizing relations and formally ending conflict. —Thomas De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 22 Sep. 2025

The Ecuadorian interdisciplinary artist and fashion designer launched her label, Soak (aka her initials backward), in 2021. —Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 15 Sep. 2025

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
• official
• simplicial
• surficial
• artificial
• beneficial
• cicatricial
• interstitial
• nonjudicial
• nonofficial
• prejudicial
• sacrificial

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