Etymograph

English

initiate

Initiate comes from Latin initiātus ‘begun, originated, having been begun’, from initium ‘beginning’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ey- ‘to go’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁ey-‘to go’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁éyti‘to go, to be going’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*ejōreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*eō‘to go’reconstructed
  5. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*eneō‘to begin, start’reconstructed
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEineō‘to begin’
  7. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinitium‘beginning’
  8. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinitiō‘to begin, originate’
  9. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinitiātus‘begun, originated, having been begun’perfect passive participle of initiō
  10. Englishearliest quotation 1653initiate

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁ey-‘to go’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁éyti‘to go, to be going’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*ejōreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*eō‘to go’reconstructed
  5. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*eneō‘to begin, start’reconstructed
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEineō‘to begin’
  7. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinitium‘beginning’
  8. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinitiō‘to begin, originate’
  9. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinitiātus‘begun, originated, having been begun’perfect passive participle of initiō
  10. Englishearliest quotation 1653initiate

Earliest quotation: 1653, Henry More, An Antidote against Atheisme: “Divine Providence would only initiate and enter mankind into…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *h₁ey- ‘to go’

eid, itinerary, iter, 28 more

through Proto-Indo-European *h₁éyti ‘to go, to be going’

ion, isthmus, cation, anionic, 23 more

through Proto-Italic *eō ‘to go’

transition, ambitious, ambient, ambition, eyre, sedition, ambiance, ambit, 8 more

Today it means

verb To begin; to start.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₁ey- / initiate

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