initiate (n.)

  1. someone new to a field or activity

    [ Syn: novice , beginner , tyro , tiro ]

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

    [ Syn: learned person , pundit , savant ]

  3. people who have been introduced to the mysteries of some field or activity; it is very familiar to the initiate

    [ Syn: enlightened ]

    initiate (v.)

  1. bring into being; He initiated a new program; Start a foundation

    [ Syn: originate , start ]

  2. take the lead or initiative in; participate in the development of; This South African surgeon pioneered heart transplants

    [ Syn: pioneer ]

  3. accept people into an exclusive society or group, usually with some rite; African men are initiated when they reach puberty

    [ Syn: induct ]

  4. bring up a topic for discussion

    [ Syn: broach ]

  5. set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for; Hitlers attack on Poland led up to World War II

    [ Syn: lead up ]

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2011 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.