• IPA: /ɪˈnɪʃɪeɪt/

initiate (plural initiates)

1. A new member of an organization.
2. One who has been through a ceremony of initiation.

• German: Eingeweihter, Eingeweihte, Initiierter, Initiierte
• Italian: novizio

• French: initié
• German: Eingeweihter, Eingeweihte
• Italian: iniziato

initiate (initiates, present participle initiating; past and past participle initiated)

1. (transitive) To begin; to start.

   • How are changes of this sort to be initiated?

2. To instruct in the rudiments or principles; to introduce.

   • Providence would only initiate mankind into the useful knowledge of her treasures, leaving the rest to employ our industry.

   • 1693, [John Locke], “§94”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], OCLC 1161614482 ↗:

     to initiate his pupil in any part of learning

3. To confer membership on; especially, to admit to a secret order with mysterious rites or ceremonies.

   • The Athenians believed that he who was initiated and instructed in the mysteries would obtain celestial honour after death.

   • He was initiated into half a dozen clubs before he was one and twenty.

4. (intransitive) To do the first act; to perform the first rite; to take the initiative.

• (to begin) end, conclude, complete, finish

• commence
• initiable
• initial
• initials
• initialism
• initialize
• initiation
• initiative
• initiator

• French: commencer, démarrer, initier
• German: beginnen
• Russian: инициировать

• German: einführen

initiate

1. (obsolete) Unpractised; untried; new.
   • c. 1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act III, scene iv]:

     the initiate fear that wants hard use

2. (obsolete) Begun; commenced; introduced to, or instructed in, the rudiments; newly admitted.

   • To rise in science as in bliss, / Initiate in the secrets of the skies.