Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- v. To set going by taking the first step; begin: initiated trade with developing nations. See Synonyms at begin.
- v. To introduce to a new field, interest, skill, or activity.
- v. To admit into membership, as with ceremonies or ritual.
- adj. Initiated or admitted, as to membership or a position of authority.
- adj. Instructed in esoteric knowledge.
- adj. Introduced to something new.
- n. One who is being or has been initiated.
- n. One who has been introduced to or has attained knowledge in a particular field.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- To begin or enter upon; make a beginning of; introduce; set going or on foot.
- To introduce by preliminary instruction or forms; guide primarily; admit formally; induct: as, to initiate a person into an art, or into a society.
- To do the first act; perform the first rite; take the initiative.
- Pertaining or incident to the beginning or introduction; initial or initiatory.
- Initiated; commencing; introduced to knowledge; prepared for instruction.
- n. One who is initiated; specifically, one who has been admitted to a knowledge of or participation in secret doctrines, mystic rites, or the like.
Wiktionary
- n. A new member of an organization.
- n. One who has been through a ceremony of initiation.
- v. To begin, to start, to introduce.
GNU Webster's 1913
- v. To introduce by a first act; to make a beginning with; to set afoot; to originate; to commence; to begin or enter upon.
- v. To acquaint with the beginnings; to instruct in the rudiments or principles; to introduce.
- v. To introduce into a society or organization; to confer membership on; especially, to admit to a secret order with mysterious rites or ceremonies.
- v. To do the first act; to perform the first rite; to take the initiative.
- adj. Unpracticed; untried; new.
- adj. Begun; commenced; introduced to, or instructed in, the rudiments; newly admitted.
- n. One who is, or is to be, initiated.
WordNet 3.0
- v. set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for
- v. bring up a topic for discussion
- v. accept people into an exclusive society or group, usually with some rite
- n. someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field
- n. someone new to a field or activity
- v. bring into being
- n. people who have been introduced to the mysteries of some field or activity
- v. take the lead or initiative in; participate in the development of
Etymologies
- Latin initiāre, initiāt-, from initium, beginning; see ei- in Indo-European roots.
Examples
“Facinelli's latest initiate is Kat Dennings, who we revealed yesterday has just joined the cast of "Thor.”
“On Friday, all 41 Republican senators sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, asking that the current version of the legislation be set aside and that Democrats again initiate bipartisan negotiations with the Republicans.”
McConnell: There's a bailout fund in current Wall St. reform bill
“Maybe she thinks a third war for the US to initiate is a proper course of action?”
Palin warns of 'Second Holocaust' if Iran gains nuclear weapons
“The initiate is encouraged to eat as much as she can, especially meat and broth, which are thought to strengthen. 54”
“BUT .... the debate that Sunstein seems itching to initiate is whether there is a movement to rollback the constitutional viewpoint that has evolved since the New Deal.”
The Volokh Conspiracy » Is “The Constitution in Exile” A Myth?:
“This post reminds me of the scene in Animal House where the fraternity initiate is being spanked repeatedly with a paddle and all he knows is to respond, “THANK YOU SIR MAY I HAVE ANOTHER?!””
“Train -- initiate, or early instruct. the way -- literally, "his way," that selected for him in which he should go; for early training secures habitual walking in it.”
“It has been 3-years in the making for Wal-Mart to simply get their pallets and master cases outfitted with RFID tags, and that initiate is still not complete, and won’t be for at least another 2-5 years.”
“Occult, on the other hand, indicates something secret and available only to the so-called initiate—a totally different kind of understanding.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘initiate’.
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Academic Vocabulary
Use these and get promoted
abandon, abandonment, abnormally, abstract, abstraction, abstractly, abstracts, academia, academic, academically, academics, academies and 3092 more...
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GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4084 more...
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Interesting words
A list of words that are odd or words that I have looked up.
concupiscence, brize, scree, scoria, forestaff, spanaemia, valetudinarianism, distasture, pyrethrum, laudanum, gentian, bicameral and 1073 more...
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Vocab8
acrid, casualty, congested, cope, headlong, hurtle, impede, inevitable, initiate, irate, lax, negligent and 3 more...
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a beginners' list
a beginner's list should be about novices and all those that start on new journeys
noob, beginner, new, left foot, threshold, dawn, start, go, adventurer, undeterred, brave, foolish and 61 more...
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vocab#8
acrid, casualty, congested, cope, headlong, hurtle, impede, inevitable, initiate, irate, lax, negligent and 3 more...

oroboros Tyro, neophyte, novice; instigate, cause. Nov 21, 2007