initial

noun

The first letter of a word or a name, especially of a person's full name (their initials).

(typography, calligraphy) A distinguished initial letter of a chapter or section of a document.

(phonology) onset, part of a syllable that precedes the syllable nucleus in phonetics and phonology.

verb

(transitive) To sign one's initial(s), as an abbreviated signature.

adjective

Spatially first, placed at the beginning, in the first position; especially said of the first letter of a word.

Chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin.

Roots

eoit- · Latin · go

Synonyms for initial

firstn beginningn incipientadj inceptiveadj primogenial commencingv initiatoryadj earliestadj inchoateadj originaladj

Synonyms & related words for initial

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of initial — including first, beginning, incipient, inceptive, primogenial, commencing. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to initial

Explore words related to initial — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include initially, preliminary, inchoation, outset, incipience, incipiency, paraph, subsequent. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for initial

Common synonyms for initial include first, beginning, incipient, inceptive, primogenial, commencing, initiatory, earliest — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does initial come from?

The word initial breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root it-, from Latin eo (“go”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.