Dictionary definition · initiate
noun
- someone new to a field or activity
- someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field
- people who have been introduced to the mysteries of some field or activity"it is very familiar to the initiate"
verb
- bring into being"He initiated a new program"
- take the lead or initiative in; participate in the development of"This South African surgeon pioneered heart transplants"
- accept people into an exclusive society or group, usually with some rite"African men are initiated when they reach puberty"
- bring up a topic for discussion
- set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for"Hitler's attack on Poland led up to World War II"
Source: Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).