# initials vs initiate

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### initials
*noun · IPA /ɪˈnɪʃəlz/ · frequency rank #15,839*
plural of initial

### 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/initials-vs-initiate