- initial (adj.)
- 1526, "of or pertaining to a beginning," from L. initialis "initial, incipient," from initium "a beginning, an entrance," from pp. stem of inire "to go into, enter upon, begin," from in- "into, in" + ire "to go" (see ion). Meaning "standing at the beginning of a word, sentence, etc." (1622) led to noun sense of "initial letter of a name or surname" (1627). The verb meaning "to mark or sign with initials" is from 1864.