What does initiate mean?

Definitions for initiate
ɪˈnɪʃ iˌeɪt; -ɪt, -ˌeɪtini·ti·ate

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word initiate.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. novice, beginner, tyro, tiro, initiatenoun

    someone new to a field or activity

  2. initiate, learned person, pundit, savantnoun

    someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field

  3. initiate, enlightenedverb

    people who have been introduced to the mysteries of some field or activity

    "it is very familiar to the initiate"

  4. originate, initiate, startverb

    bring into being

    "He initiated a new program"; "Start a foundation"

  5. initiate, pioneerverb

    take the lead or initiative in; participate in the development of

    "This South African surgeon pioneered heart transplants"

  6. initiate, inductverb

    accept people into an exclusive society or group, usually with some rite

    "African men are initiated when they reach puberty"

  7. broach, initiateverb

    bring up a topic for discussion

  8. lead up, initiateverb

    set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for

    "Hitler's attack on Poland led up to World War II"

Wiktionary

  1. initiatenoun

    A new member of an organization.

  2. initiatenoun

    One who has been through a ceremony of initiation.

  3. initiateverb

    To begin, to start, to introduce.

  4. Etymology: From initiatus, perfect passive participle of initio, from initium, from ineo, from in + eo.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Initiateadjective

    Unpractised.

    Etymology: initié, Fr. initiatus, Lat.

    My strange and self-abuse
    Is the initiate fear; that wants hard use:
    We're yet but young. William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

  2. To Initiateverb

    To enter; to instruct in the rudiments of an art; to place in a new state; to put into a new society.

    Etymology: initier, French; initio, Lat.

    Providence would only initiate mankind into the useful knowledge of her treasures, leaving the rest to employ our industry. Henry More, Antidote against Atheism.

    To initiate his pupil in any part of learning, an ordinary skill in the governour is enough. John Locke, on Education.

    He was initiated into half a dozen clubs before he was one and twenty. Spectator, №. 576.

    No sooner was a convert initiated, but, by an easy figure, he became a new man. Addison.

  3. To Initiateverb

    To do the first part; to perform the first rite.

    The king himself initiates to the pow'r,
    Scatters with quiv'ring hand the sacred flour,
    And the stream sprinkles. Alexander Pope, Odyssey.

ChatGPT

  1. initiate

    To initiate is to start, launch, or commence a process, action, or event. It can also refer to the action of introducing or admitting someone into a group, particularly via a formal ceremony or ritual.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Initiateverb

    to introduce by a first act; to make a beginning with; to set afoot; to originate; to commence; to begin or enter upon

  2. Initiateverb

    to acquaint with the beginnings; to instruct in the rudiments or principles; to introduce

  3. Initiateverb

    to introduce into a society or organization; to confer membership on; especially, to admit to a secret order with mysterious rites or ceremonies

  4. Initiateverb

    to do the first act; to perform the first rite; to take the initiative

  5. Initiateadjective

    unpracticed; untried; new

  6. Initiateadjective

    begun; commenced; introduced to, or instructed in, the rudiments; newly admitted

  7. Initiatenoun

    one who is, or is to be, initiated

  8. Etymology: [L. initiatus, p. p.]

Editors Contribution

  1. initiateverb

    To be defined as someone that is given a code name to be known by. 0.) expressing something in the length of time before a future event is to take place with technical information used to refer as a thing previously mentioned or easily defined in it's elemental state or function. 1.) cause a process or action to begin. 2.) admit someone into a secret or obscure society or group, typically with a ritual.

    I am possessed to initiate what will happen tomorrow: yesterday.

    Etymology: Ingrained


    Submitted by Tehorah_Elyon on May 6, 2024  


  2. initiate

    To create or start intuitively.

    They did initiate change proactively.


    Submitted by MaryC on March 10, 2020  

Matched Categories

British National Corpus

  1. Verbs Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'initiate' in Verbs Frequency: #715

How to pronounce initiate?

How to say initiate in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of initiate in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of initiate in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of initiate in a Sentence

  1. Nancy Pelosi:

    Let me be very clear, the Democrats in the meeting -- House and Senate Armed Services Committee Democrats -- were very clear that Congress must act, he must have the authority of Congress before we initiate military hostilities into Iran.

  2. Jeffrey Kerr:

    PETA’s lawsuit seeks to end this illegal killing — and initiate sweeping changes in an industry that currently slits conscious birds’ throats and scalds them to death.

  3. Richard Mills:

    We call on all external parties, to include Russia, Turkey, and the UAE, to respect Libyan sovereignty and immediately cease all military intervention in Libya, we call on Turkey and Russia to immediately initiate the withdrawal of their forces from the country and the removal of the foreign mercenaries and military proxies that they have recruited, financed, deployed, and supported in Libya.

  4. Brian Hook:

    Resolution 2231 establishes a fixed term,' JCPOA participants,' that expressly includes the United States in its definition. Resolution 2231 places no other conditions on the eligibility of states that are among the named JCPOA participants. Developments beyond the four corners of Resolution 2231 did not and could not change the United States' right to initiate snapback.

  5. Machiavelli:

    It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things. For the reformer has enemies in all those who would profit by the old order, only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

initiate#10000#10803#100000

Translations for initiate

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"initiate." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 May 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/initiate>.

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    (law) the act of substituting of one creditor for another
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