initio

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɪˈnɪ.ti.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [iˈnit.t͡si.o]^[1]

Forms

initiō (present infinitive initiāre, perfect active initiāvī, supine initiātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from initium “beginning, entrance” with the verb suffix -ō.^[2][1][3] ⟨Initium⟩ is from ineō “to go in, begin”.^[1] A deponent ⟨initior⟩ is also found.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Varro, of introducing someone to a practice.^[2] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to admit to religious rites or an association with introductory ceremonies, initiate, as in Cicero and Livy, of the mysteries.^[2][5] Figuratively it meant to introduce to a practice or skill, as in Varro.^[2] Tertullian uses it of baptizing, of John the Baptist.^[5] In late Latin it meant to begin, originate, as Firmicus' “spring begins”.^[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to initiate, admit to sacred rites, originate.^[7] It survives in Italian iniziare and Spanish and Portuguese iniciar.^[1] English initiate comes from its participle initiātus, recorded as a noun from 1732.^[8]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of introducing to a practice.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the mysteries.^[5][4]
• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it of baptism.^[5][4]
• 1732 – English initiate is recorded as a noun.^[8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To initiate into rites or an association.^[2]
2. To introduce to a practice or skill.^[2]
3. (Late Latin) To baptize; to begin.^[5][6]

Word family

• ininitiatus
• initiāmentum
• initiātiō
• initiator
• initiatrix
• initiātus

Related words

• ineō
• initiālis
• initium
• English initiate
• English initiative

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com