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initial

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Initial is defined as to sign or mark something using just the first letter or letters of your name.

(verb)

An example of initial is when you have to write the first two letters of your name next to a contract clause when signing a contract.

Your initial means the first letter of your name.

(noun)

An example of initial is the letter "M" when your name is Molly.

The definition of initial is something that comes first.

(adjective)

An example of initial is the first phone call in a series of calls.

See initial in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

having to do with, indicating, or occurring at the beginning: the initial stage of a disease, the initial letter of a word

Origin: < Fr or L: Fr < L initialis < initium, a beginning < inire, to go into, enter upon, begin < in-, into, in + ire, to go < IE base *ei- > Goth iddja

noun

a capital, or uppercase, letter; specif.,
1. an extra-large capital letter at the start of a printed paragraph, chapter, etc.
2. the first letter of a name
Biol. a primordial cell that determines the basic pattern of derived tissues; specif., a meristematic cell

transitive verb initialed or initialled, initialing or initialling

to mark or sign with an initial or initials

See initial in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective

Of, relating to, or occurring at the beginning; first: took the initial step toward peace.
Designating the first letter or letters of a word.

noun

a. The first letter of a proper name.
b. initials The first letter of each word of a person's full name considered as a unit: stationery monogrammed with her initials.
The first letter of a word.
A large, often highly decorated letter set at the beginning of a chapter, verse, or paragraph.