initialize

/ɪˈnɪʃəlaɪz/

//ɪˈnɪʃəlaɪz// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"initialize" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“initialize” is uncommon English (frequency #56,199 among 2,140 “I” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#56,199
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To assign initial values to something.

Corpus desk

Index EN-initialize · initialize · English

initialize · rank #56,199 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #56,199
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH international…

Nearest frequency peer: internationalism (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “initialize”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “initialize” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for initialize
PropertyValue
Headwordinitialize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪˈnɪʃəlaɪz/
Letters10
Frequency rank#56,199
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “initialize” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).initializefalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “internationalism” (#56,200), “impressionistic” (#56,197), “intersectionality” (#56,201). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “initialize” is #56,199. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

initialize is uncommon English at frequency #56,199 among 2,140 “I” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪˈnɪʃəlaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for initialize in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From initial + -ize. The correct English form is initialize, spelled I-N-I-T-I-A-L-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To assign initial values to something.
  2. 2
    To assign an initial value to a variable.
  3. 3
    To format a storage medium prior to use.
  4. 4
    To prepare any hardware (such as a printer or scanner) for use.
  5. 5
    To reduce (a phrase) to an initialism, or a word to its initial.

Etymology

From initial + -ize.

This word in other languages

inicializar(Español)initialiser(Français)initialisieren(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "initialize"?
"initialize" is spelled I-N-I-T-I-A-L-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈnɪʃəlaɪz/.
What does "initialize" mean?
As a verb, "initialize" means: To assign initial values to something.
How do you pronounce "initialize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "initialize" is /ɪˈnɪʃəlaɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "initialize"?
From initial + -ize. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "initialize", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

intertidal#56,202Hungerford#56,187Hasselhoff#56,170lacklustre#56,236

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list