initial

/i-ˈni-shəl/

Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French iniciel, from Latin initialis, from initium beginning, from inire to go into, from in- + ire to go

adjective

  1. of or relating to the beginning : incipient

  2. placed at the beginning : first

his initial reaction

noun

  1. the first letter of a name

  2. the first letter of each word in a full name

  3. a large letter beginning a text or a division or paragraph

found that their initials were identical

verb

  1. to affix an initial to

  2. to authenticate or give preliminary approval to by affixing the initials of an authorizing representative