# initiator

> English word · Noun · frequency rank #40,750

## Definitions
1. One who initiates.
2. A substance that initiates a chain reaction or polymerization.
3. A component of a nuclear weapon that produces a burst of neutrons to start the chain reaction.
4. A task (in a mainframe computer) that initiates multiple jobs.
5. A material whose presence in the body eventually leads to cancer.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin initiātor. By surface analysis, initiate + or.

## Easily confused with
- **instigator** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/initiator-vs-instigator)
- **initiate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/initiate-vs-initiator)
- **initiation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/initiation-vs-initiator)

## Common misspellings (12)
`iintiator`, `iniitator`, `initaitor`, `initiaotr`, `initiatorr`, `initiatro`, `initiattor`, `inititaor`, `inittiator`, `innitiator`, `intiiator`, `niitiator`

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