initial
ɪˈnɪʃəl
initialledinitialling
Definition Synonyms Conjugation

Definition of initial - Reverso English Dictionary

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Noun

1.
languagefirst letter of a word or name
  • Her initial is 'A'.
capital
2.
typographyTECH.large decorated letter at chapter startTECH.
  • The book had beautiful initials.

Adjective

1.
timechronologically first or at the beginning
  • The initial phase of the project was challenging.
original primary
2.
first positionspatially first or placed at the start
  • The initial letter of the word is capitalized.
original primary

Verb

tr.
signing approvalwrite your first letter or initials to show approval
  • Please initial each page to confirm you agree.
countersign endorse sign
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Images of initial

  • initial: large decorated letter at chapter start
    large decorated letter at chapter start

Expressions with initial

💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
first sum of money paid at the start of an agreement
An initial payment is required when you sign the rental contract.
first examination or review of something
The initial check of the document revealed several errors.
the first encounter between people or groups
The initial meeting between the two teams was tense.
money needed at the start to buy or begin something
The low initial cost of the car attracted many first-time buyers.
first amount of money paid at the start of an account or agreement
You need an initial deposit to open the savings account.
money or resources put into something at the start to begin it
The initial investment for the new store reached fifty thousand dollars.

Origin of initial

Latin, initium (beginning)

Terms with initial included in their meaning

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events
initial occurrence of an event or experience
beginning
initial year of an experience or process
initial experience
never done or experienced before
initial stage
the first part or earliest stage of something
beginning time
indicating the initial moment or start of something
time
referring to the initial part of something
beginning
initial period of an innovation or project
position
initial position in a sequence or list

Examples of initial in a sentence

  • He carved his initial into the tree.
  • The manuscript featured an elaborate initial at the start.
  • Each chapter began with a colorful initial.
  • In “play,” the initial is /p/.
  • The syllable “street” has a complex initial.
  • The initial of the campaign was promising.

View all translations of initial

Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
  1. French:initiale, premier, ...
  2. German:Initial, anfänglich, ...
  3. Italian:iniziale, primo, ...
  4. Spanish:inicial, primero, ...
  5. Portuguese:inicial, primeiro, ...
  6. Chinese:首字母, 初始的, ...
  7. Japanese:イニシャル, 初期の, ...
  8. Arabic:حرف أول, أوَّلي, ...
  9. Hebrew:אוֹת רִאשׁוֹנָה, רִאשׁוֹנִי, ...
  10. Russian:инициал, начальный, ...
  11. Ukrainian:ініціал, початковий, ...
  12. Hindi:प्रथमाक्षर, प्रारंभिक, ...
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