initialize

I1N1I1T1I1A1L1I1Z10E1
/ɪˈnɪʃəlaɪz/

verb

To assign initial values to something.

Similar
initialiseformat
Less commonScrabble 19
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Meanings

verbinitialize (third-person singular simple present initializes, present participle initializing, simple past and past participle initialized)

present singular third person initializes · participle present initializing · participle past initialized · past initialized · alternative initialise

  1. BritishEnglishOxfordUSTo assign initial values to something.
  2. BritishEnglishOxfordUScomputingTo assign an initial value to a variable.
  3. BritishEnglishOxfordUScomputingTo format a storage medium prior to use.
  4. BritishEnglishOxfordUScomputingTo prepare any hardware (such as a printer or scanner) for use.
  5. BritishEnglishOxfordUSdatedTo reduce (a phrase) to an initialism, or a word to its initial.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbassign an initial value to a computer program

Similar
initialise
Broader
determineset

verbdivide (a disk) into marked sectors so that it may store data

Similar
formatinitialise
Broader
dividesplitsplit up
Also see
adjudgedeclareformat

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From initial + -ize.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian инициализирам, инициализирам
  • инициализирам (inicializiram)to assign initial values to something
  • инициализирам (inicializiram)to assign an initial value to a variable
  • форматирам (formatiram)to format a storage medium prior to use
Catalan inicialitzar, inicialitzar
  • inicialitzarto assign initial values to something
  • inicialitzarto assign an initial value to a variable
  • inicialitzarto format a storage medium prior to use
  • inicialitzarto prepare any hardware for use
Chinese Mandarin 初始化
  • 初始化 (chūshǐhuà)to assign an initial value to a variable
Czech inicializovat, inicializovat
  • inicializovatto assign initial values to something
  • inicializovatto assign an initial value to a variable
Danish initialisere
  • initialisereto format a storage medium prior to use
Dutch initialiseren
  • initialiserento assign initial values to something
Finnish asettaa alkuarvo, alustaa
  • asettaa alkuarvoto assign initial values to something
  • alustaato assign an initial value to a variable
  • asettaa alkuarvoto assign an initial value to a variable
  • alustaato format a storage medium prior to use
  • formatoidato format a storage medium prior to use
  • alustaato prepare any hardware for use
French initialiser, initialiser
  • initialiserto assign initial values to something
  • initialiserto assign an initial value to a variable
German initialisieren, initialisieren
  • initialisierento assign initial values to something
  • initialisierento assign an initial value to a variable
  • initialisierento format a storage medium prior to use
  • initialisierento prepare any hardware for use
Greek αρχικοποιώ, αρχικοποιώ
  • αρχικοποιώ (archikopoió)to assign initial values to something
  • αρχικοποιώ (archikopoió)to assign an initial value to a variable
  • αρχικοποιώ (archikopoió)to format a storage medium prior to use
Hebrew אִתְחֵל
  • אִתְחֵל (itkhél)to assign an initial value to a variable
Hungarian inicializál, inicializál
  • inicializálto assign initial values to something
  • inicializálto assign an initial value to a variable
Icelandic frumstilla, frumgilda
  • frumstillato assign an initial value to a variable
  • frumgildato assign an initial value to a variable
Japanese 初期化する
  • 初期化する (shokika suru)to assign an initial value to a variable
Latin initiālizō
  • initiālizōto assign initial values to something
Māori arawhiti, whakaarawhiti
  • arawhitito assign an initial value to a variable
  • whakaarawhitito assign an initial value to a variable
  • arawhitito prepare any hardware for use
Norwegian initialisere
  • initialisereto assign initial values to something
Polish inicjalizować, inicjalizować
  • inicjalizowaćto assign initial values to something
  • inicjalizowaćto assign an initial value to a variable
Portuguese inicializar, inicializar
  • inicializarto assign initial values to something
  • inicializarto assign an initial value to a variable
Romanian a inițializa, formata
  • a inițializato assign an initial value to a variable
  • formatato format a storage medium prior to use
  • inițializato format a storage medium prior to use
Russian инициализи́ровать, инициализи́ровать
  • инициализи́ровать (inicializírovatʹ)to assign initial values to something
  • инициализи́ровать (inicializírovatʹ)to assign an initial value to a variable
  • инициализи́ровать (inicializírovatʹ)to format a storage medium prior to use
  • настра́ивать (nastráivatʹ)to prepare any hardware for use
  • настро́ить (nastróitʹ)to prepare any hardware for use
Spanish inicializar
  • inicializarto assign an initial value to a variable
Turkish ilklendirmek
  • ilklendirmekto assign initial values to something
Ukrainian ініціалізува́ти, ініціалізува́ти
  • ініціалізува́ти (inicializuváty)to assign initial values to something
  • ініціалізува́ти (inicializuváty)to assign an initial value to a variable
  • ініціалізува́ти (inicializuváty)to format a storage medium prior to use
Vietnamese khởi tạo
  • khởi tạoto assign an initial value to a variable
Welsh ymgychwyn
  • ymgychwynto assign initial values to something
Cite this entry
APA

initialize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/initialize

MLA

“initialize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/initialize. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “initialize,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/initialize.

Source: initialize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.