Meanings
plural initiations
- countableuncountableThe act of initiating, or the process of being initiated or introduced.
initiation into business
2 more examples
initiation into a society
initiation into literature
- countableuncountableThe form or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society; mode of entrance into an organized body; especially, the rite of admission into a secret society or order.
- countableuncountablechemistryThe first step of transcription or of transduction.
Synonyms & antonyms
antonym(s) of “act of initiating”
More synonyms by meaning
nouna formal entry into an organization or position or office
nounthe act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new
nounwisdom as evidenced by the possession of knowledge
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latininitiātiō
- Middle Frenchinitiation
- Englishinitiation
Borrowed from Middle French initiation, from Latin initiātiō. Morphologically initiate + -ion.
More words from Middle French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian начало, започване
- начало (načalo)act of initiating
- започване (započvane)act of initiating
- въвеждане (văveždane)form or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
Catalan inici, iniciació
- iniciact of initiating
- iniciacióform or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
Chinese Mandarin 开始, 发起
- 开始 (kāishǐ)act of initiating
- 发起 (fāqǐ)act of initiating
- 入会仪式form or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
Esperanto iniciato
- iniciatoact of initiating
Finnish johdatus, alullepano
- johdatusact of initiating
- alullepanoact of initiating
- jäseneksi ottaminenform or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
- jäseneksi vihkiminenform or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
French initiation, initiation
- initiationact of initiating
- initiationform or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
German Initiation, Initiierung
- Initiationact of initiating
- Initiierungact of initiating
Greek μύηση
- μύηση (mýisi)form or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
Hebrew חניכה, טקס חניכה
- חניכה (h'anikha)act of initiating
- טקס חניכה (tekes h'anikha)form or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
Hindi दीक्षा, प्रारंभ
- दीक्षा (dīkṣā)act of initiating
- प्रारंभ (prārambh)act of initiating
- दीक्षा (dīkṣā)form or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
Hungarian beavatás
- beavatásform or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
Italian inizio, iniziazione
- inizioact of initiating
- iniziazioneform or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
Japanese 開始, 着手
- 開始 (kaishi)act of initiating
- 着手 (chaukushu)act of initiating
- 始まり (hajimari)act of initiating
Polish inicjacja
- inicjacjaform or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
Portuguese iniciação, iniciação
- iniciaçãoact of initiating
- iniciaçãoform or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
Russian инициа́ция
- инициа́ция (iniciácija)form or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
Spanish inicio, iniciación
- inicioact of initiating
- iniciaciónform or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
Ukrainian ініціа́ція
- ініціа́ція (iniciácija)form or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with initiation
Cite this entry
initiation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/initiation
“initiation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/initiation. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “initiation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/initiation.
Source: initiation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.