Definitions
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adjective
Chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin.
Examples
- Her initial reaction was disbelief.
- The initial results looked promising.
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adjective
Spatially first, placed at the beginning, in the first position; especially said of the first letter of a word.
Examples
- The initial letter of the word is capitalized.
- He underlined the initial syllable for emphasis.
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noun
The first letter of a word or a name, especially of a person's full name (their initials).
Examples
- He signed the letter with just his initials.
- Her initials were monogrammed on the bag.
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noun
A distinguished initial letter of a chapter or section of a document.
Examples
- The manuscript featured an ornate gold initial at the start of each chapter.
- Monks decorated the initial with intricate designs.
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noun
Onset, part of a syllable that precedes the syllable nucleus in phonetics and phonology.
Examples
- The word "cat" has /k/ as its initial.
- Linguists studied how the initial changes across dialects.
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verb
To sign one's initial(s), as an abbreviated signature.
Examples
- Please initial each page of the contract.
- She initialed the form to confirm the changes.