I. i-ˈni-shəl adjective
Etymology: Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French iniciel, from Latin initialis, from initium beginning, from inire to go into, from in- + ire to go — more at issue
Date: 1526
1. : of or relating to the beginning : incipient
his initial reaction
2. : placed at the beginning : first
the initial word of the verse
• ini·tial·ly i-ˈni-sh(ə-)lē adverb
• ini·tial·ness i-ˈni-shəl-nəs noun
II. noun
Date: 1627
1.
a. : the first letter of a name
b. plural : the first letter of each word in a full name
found that their initial s were identical
2. : a large letter beginning a text or a division or paragraph
3. : anlage , precursor ; specifically : a meristematic cell
III. transitive verb
( ini·tialed or ini·tialled ; ini·tial·ing or ini·tial·ling i-ˈni-sh(ə-)liŋ)
Date: circa 1864
1. : to affix an initial to
2. : to authenticate or give preliminary approval to by affixing the initials of an authorizing representative