initio

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /iˈni.ti.oː/, [ɪˈnɪt̪ioː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /iˈnit.t͡si.o/, [iˈnit̪ː͡s̪io]

Etymology 1

From initium (“beginning”) +‎ -ō.

Verb

initiō (present infinitive initiāre, perfect active initiāvī, supine initiātum); first conjugation

1. to begin, originate

   Synonyms: incohō, exōrdior, occipiō, incipiō, coepiō, ōrdior, ineō, ingredior, aggredior, sūmō, moveō, committō, exorior, mōlior

   Antonyms: dēsistō, subsistō, cessō

2. to initiate, consecrate

Conjugation

Conjugation of initiō (first conjugation)
indicative		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	initiō	initiās	initiat	initiāmus	initiātis	initiant
	imperfect	initiābam	initiābās	initiābat	initiābāmus	initiābātis	initiābant
	future	initiābō	initiābis	initiābit	initiābimus	initiābitis	initiābunt
	perfect	initiāvī	initiāvistī	initiāvit	initiāvimus	initiāvistis	initiāvērunt, initiāvēre
	pluperfect	initiāveram	initiāverās	initiāverat	initiāverāmus	initiāverātis	initiāverant
	future perfect	initiāverō	initiāveris	initiāverit	initiāverimus	initiāveritis	initiāverint
passive	present	initior	initiāris, initiāre	initiātur	initiāmur	initiāminī	initiantur
	imperfect	initiābar	initiābāris, initiābāre	initiābātur	initiābāmur	initiābāminī	initiābantur
	future	initiābor	initiāberis, initiābere	initiābitur	initiābimur	initiābiminī	initiābuntur
	perfect	initiātus + present active indicative of sum
	pluperfect	initiātus + imperfect active indicative of sum
	future perfect	initiātus + future active indicative of sum
subjunctive		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	initiem	initiēs	initiet	initiēmus	initiētis	initient
	imperfect	initiārem	initiārēs	initiāret	initiārēmus	initiārētis	initiārent
	perfect	initiāverim	initiāverīs	initiāverit	initiāverīmus	initiāverītis	initiāverint
	pluperfect	initiāvissem	initiāvissēs	initiāvisset	initiāvissēmus	initiāvissētis	initiāvissent
passive	present	initier	initiēris, initiēre	initiētur	initiēmur	initiēminī	initientur
	imperfect	initiārer	initiārēris, initiārēre	initiārētur	initiārēmur	initiārēminī	initiārentur
	perfect	initiātus + present active subjunctive of sum
	pluperfect	initiātus + imperfect active subjunctive of sum
imperative		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	—	initiā	—	—	initiāte	—
	future	—	initiātō	initiātō	—	initiātōte	initiantō
passive	present	—	initiāre	—	—	initiāminī	—
	future	—	initiātor	initiātor	—	—	initiantor
non-finite forms		active			passive
		present	perfect	future	present	perfect	future
infinitives		initiāre	initiāvisse	initiātūrum esse	initiārī	initiātum esse	initiātum īrī
participles		initiāns	—	initiātūrus	—	initiātus	initiandus
verbal nouns		gerund				supine
		genitive	dative	accusative	ablative	accusative	ablative
		initiandī	initiandō	initiandum	initiandō	initiātum	initiātū

Derived terms

• ab initio
• initiātiō
• initiātor
• initiātrīx

Related terms

• ineō
• initiālis
• initium

Descendants

• Asturian: aniciar, añiciar, ñiciar, niciar
• → Catalan: iniciar
• Dalmatian: nizuor
• → English: initiate
• → French: initier
• Galician: iniciar, inzar
• Italian: iniziare
• Portuguese: iniciar
• Romanian: iniția
• Spanish: iniciar
• Venetan: inisiar
• ⇒ Vulgar Latin: *cominitiāre (see there for further descendants)

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

initiō

1. dative/ablative singular of initium

References

• “initio”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “initio”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• initio in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• initio in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to be initiated into the mysteries of a cult: sacris initiari (Quintil. 12. 10. 14)
    
  • (ambiguous) the elements: elementa; initia or principia rerum
    
  • (ambiguous) at the beginning of the year: initio anni, ineunte anno