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initial definition

ini·tial (i nis̸h′əl)

adjective

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

Etymology: < 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

  1. 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
  2. Biol. a primordial cell that determines the basic pattern of derived tissues; specif., a meristematic cell

transitive verb initialed -·tialed or initialled -·tialled, initialing -·tial·ing or initialling -·tial·ling

to mark or sign with an initial or initials

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