in·i·tial

(ĭ-nĭsh′əl)

adj.

1. Of, relating to, or occurring at the beginning; first: took the initial step toward peace.

2. Designating the first letter or letters of a word.

a. The first letter of a proper name.

b. initials The first letter of each word of a person's full name considered as a unit: stationery monogrammed with her initials.

2. The first letter of a word.

3. A large, often highly decorated letter set at the beginning of a chapter, verse, or paragraph.

tr.v. in·i·tialed, in·i·tial·ing, in·i·tials also in·i·tialled or in·i·tial·ling

To mark or sign with initials, especially for purposes of authorization or approval.

[Latin initiālis, from initium, beginning; see ei- in Indo-European roots.]

in·i′tial·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adv.

initially - at the beginning; "at first he didn't notice anything strange"

ab initio

initially

adverb at first, first, firstly, originally, primarily, at the start, in the first place, to begin with, at the outset, in the beginning, in the early stages, at or in the beginning Initially, they were wary of him.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

أوليّاً، في البدايَهمَبْدَئِيَّاً

zpočátku

førstindledningsvist

zuerst ursprünglich

αρχικά κατ' αρχάς

al principio

alussa

initialement au début

u početku

til aî byrja meî

inizialmente

最初に

초기에

spočiatku

na začetku

i början

ตั้งแต่แรก

başlangıçta ilkin

lúc đầu

最初

initially

[ɪˈnɪʃəlɪ] ADV → al principio, en un principio, inicialmente (frm)

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

initially

[ɪˈnɪʃəli] adv → initialement

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

initially

adv → anfangs, zu or am Anfang; (Ling) → im Anlaut

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

initially

[ɪˈnɪʃəlɪ] adv → all'inizio, inizialmente

initial

(iˈniʃəl) adjective

of, or at, the beginning. There were difficulties during the initial stages of building the house.

noun

the letter that begins a word, especially a name. The picture was signed with the initials JJB, standing for John James Brown.

verb – past tense, past participle iˈnitialled –

to mark or sign with initials of one's name. Any alteration on a cheque should be initialled.

iˈnitially adverb

at the beginning; at first. This project will cost a lot of money initially but will eventually make a profit.

iˈnitiate (-ʃieit) verb

1. to start (eg a plan, scheme, changes, reforms etc). He initiated a scheme for helping old people with their shopping.

2. to take (a person) into a society etc, especially with secret ceremonies. No-one who had been initiated into the society ever revealed the details of the ceremony.

iˈnitiate (-ʃiət) noun

a person who has been initiated (into a society etc).

iˌnitiˈation (-ʃiˈei-) noun

the act of initiating or process of being initiated.

iˈnitiative (-ʃətiv) noun

1. a first step or move that leads the way. He took the initiative in organizing a search party to look for the girl; A move to start peace talks is sometimes called a peace initiative.

2. the ability to lead or make decisions for oneself. He is quite good at his job, but lacks initiative; My son actually went to the hairdresser's on his own initiative!

initially

→ مَبْدَئِيَّاً zpočátku først zuerst αρχικά al principio alussa initialement u početku inizialmente 最初に 초기에 aanvankelijk i begynnelsen początkowo inicialmente изначально i början ตั้งแต่แรก başlangıçta lúc đầu 最初