INITIATE

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does initiate mean? 

• INITIATE (noun)
  The noun INITIATE has 3 senses:

1. someone new to a field or activity

2. someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field

3. people who have been introduced to the mysteries of some field or activity

  Familiarity information: INITIATE used as a noun is uncommon.

• INITIATE (verb)
  The verb INITIATE has 5 senses:

1. bring into being

2. take the lead or initiative in; participate in the development of

3. accept people into an exclusive society or group, usually with some rite

4. bring up a topic for discussion

5. set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for

  Familiarity information: INITIATE used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INITIATE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone new to a field or activity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

beginner; initiate; novice; tiro; tyro

Hypernyms ("initiate" is a kind of...):

unskilled person (a person who lacks technical training)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "initiate"):

abecedarian (a novice learning the rudiments of some subject)

apprentice; learner; prentice (works for an expert to learn a trade)

cub; greenhorn; rookie (an awkward and inexperienced youth)

landlubber; landsman; lubber (an inexperienced sailor; a sailor on the first voyage)

entrant; fledgeling; fledgling; freshman; neophyte; newbie; newcomer; starter (any new participant in some activity)

tenderfoot (an inexperienced person (especially someone inexperienced in outdoor living))

trainee (someone who is being trained)

Derivation:

initiate (accept people into an exclusive society or group, usually with some rite)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

initiate; learned person; pundit; savant

Hypernyms ("initiate" is a kind of...):

bookman; scholar; scholarly person; student (a learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "initiate"):

polymath (a person of great and varied learning)

Derivation:

initiate (accept people into an exclusive society or group, usually with some rite)

Sense 3

Meaning:

People who have been introduced to the mysteries of some field or activity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

enlightened; initiate

Context example:

it is very familiar to the initiate

Hypernyms ("initiate" is a kind of...):

people ((plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively)

Antonym:

uninitiate (people who have not been introduced to the mysteries of some field or activity)

Derivation:

initiate (accept people into an exclusive society or group, usually with some rite)

• INITIATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they initiate ... he / she / it initiates
Past simple: initiated   
Past participle: initiated   
-ing form: initiating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Bring into being

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

initiate; originate; start

Context example:

Start a foundation

Hypernyms (to "initiate" is one way to...):

create; make (make or cause to be or to become)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "initiate"):

set (apply or start)

date back; date from; go back (belong to an earlier time)

initiate; lead up (set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

initiation (an act that sets in motion some course of events)

initiation (the act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new)

initiative; initiatory (serving to set in motion)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Take the lead or initiative in; participate in the development of

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

initiate; pioneer

Context example:

This South African surgeon pioneered heart transplants

Hypernyms (to "initiate" is one way to...):

cause; do; make (give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "initiate"):

strike up (begin)

innovate; introduce (bring something new to an environment)

activate; actuate; set off; spark; spark off; touch off; trigger; trigger off; trip (put in motion or move to act)

constitute; establish; found; institute; plant (set up or lay the groundwork for)

arrange; stage (plan, organize, and carry out (an event))

mount (put up or launch)

attempt; set about; undertake (enter upon an activity or enterprise)

devise; get up; machinate; organise; organize; prepare (arrange by systematic planning and united effort)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

initiation (the act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new)

initiator (a person who initiates a course of action)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Accept people into an exclusive society or group, usually with some rite

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

induct; initiate

Context example:

African men are initiated when they reach puberty

Hypernyms (to "initiate" is one way to...):

admit; include; let in (allow participation in or the right to be part of; permit to exercise the rights, functions, and responsibilities of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Derivation:

initiate (people who have been introduced to the mysteries of some field or activity)

initiate (someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field)

initiate (someone new to a field or activity)

initiation (a formal entry into an organization or position or office)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Bring up a topic for discussion

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

broach; initiate

Hypernyms (to "initiate" is one way to...):

discuss; hash out; talk over (speak with others about (something); talk (something) over in detail; have a discussion)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "initiate"):

address; cover; deal; handle; plow; treat (act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

initiate; lead up

Context example:

Hitler's attack on Poland led up to World War II

Hypernyms (to "initiate" is one way to...):

initiate; originate; start (bring into being)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

initiation (an act that sets in motion some course of events)

initiative (serving to set in motion)

 Context examples 

PAG/CSK may increase the signaling threshold for initiating an immune response, keeping lymphocytes in a resting state.

(Phosphoprotein Associated with GEMs, NCI Thesaurus)

CD14 and the Toll-like receptor TLR4 are activated by LPS, initiating a signaling cascade that activates PI3 kinase and increases synthesis of the inositol phosphate PIP3.

(Beta-Catenin Accumulation Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

Becatecarin intercalates into DNA and stabilizes the DNA-topoisomerase I complex, thereby interfering with the topoisomerase I-catalyzed DNA breakage-reunion reaction and initiating DNA cleavage and apoptosis.

(Becatecarin, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase beta protein, plays a role in the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol to initiate production of the second messenger inositol-1,4,5,-trisphosphate.

(PI4KB wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

Morning exercise initiates gene programs in the muscle cells, making them more effective and better capable of metabolizing sugar and fat.

(Morning, Evening Exercise Provides Different Health Benefits, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

CSCs are tumor initiating cells that are able to self-renew and are responsible for tumor cell growth and resistance.

(Monoclonal Antibody MGA271, NCI Thesaurus)

The agent stimulates a hyperacute rejection of whole melanoma cancer cells expressing alphaGal epitopes, initiated by opsonization by anti-alphaGal antibodies and followed by antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and cell lysis.

(B16alphaGal Melanoma Vaccine, NCI Thesaurus)

Activation of the CD2 molecule, one of several lymphocyte receptors, rapidly initiates signaling events regulating integrin-mediated cell adhesion.

(Monoclonal Antibody 95-5-49, NCI Thesaurus)

A person who initiates and maintains a contact or connection pertaining to pharmacy.

(Pharmaceutical Liaison, NCI Thesaurus)

After the BCR has been engaged by antigen and the activation response has been initiated, numerous second messengers and intermediate signal transducing proteins are activated.

(BCR Signaling Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)