# initial vs initiate

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### initial
*adjective · IPA /ɪˈnɪʃəl/ · frequency rank #1,947*
Chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin.

### initiate
*verb · IPA /ɪˈnɪʃ.i.eɪt/ · frequency rank #10,558*
To begin; to start.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/initial-vs-initiate