Initiative

//ɪˈnɪʃətɪv// adj, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Serving to initiate. archaic, not-comparable

    "As for Apollos he was skillfull in the Scriptures, and mightily confuted the Iewes by them, he had more then this initiative wisedome, and knew better the difference betweene the baptisme of Christ, and of Iohn, then it seemeth this Iesuite doth."

  2. 2
    In which voter initiatives can be brought to the ballot. US, not-comparable

    "The second row shows that initiative states fill more constitutional offices by election than noninitiative states, and the difference is statistically significant after controlling for region and population."

Adjective
  1. 1
    serving to set in motion wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    A beginning; a first move. countable, uncountable

    "Not only are all religions welcome at the Voice Community Kitchen, but experts also say such initiatives could be key to improving ethnoreligious engagement and lead to better conflict mediation in the future."

  2. 2
    the first of a series of actions wordnet
  3. 3
    A new development; a fresh approach to something; a new way of dealing with a problem. countable, uncountable
  4. 4
    readiness to embark on bold new ventures wordnet
  5. 5
    The ability to act first or on one's own. countable, uncountable
Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    An issue to be voted on, brought to the ballot by a sufficient number of signatures from among the voting public. countable, uncountable

Etymology

Etymology 1

From French initiative, from Medieval Latin *initiativus (“serving to initiate”), from Late Latin initiare (“to begin, to initiate”), from Latin initium (“beginning”), from ineo (“enter, begin”). By surface analysis, initiate + -ive.

Etymology 2

From French initiative, from Medieval Latin *initiativus (“serving to initiate”), from Late Latin initiare (“to begin, to initiate”), from Latin initium (“beginning”), from ineo (“enter, begin”). By surface analysis, initiate + -ive.

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