in•i•tial
Pronunciation: (i-nish'ul), [key] — adj., n., v., -tialed, -tial•ing -tialled, -tial•ling.
—adj. - of, pertaining to, or occurring at the beginning; first: the initial step in a process.
- occurring at the beginning of a word or syllable, as the (k) sound of kite, chasm, or quay.
—n. - an initial letter, as of a word.
- the first letter of a proper name.
- a letter of extra size or an ornamental character used at the beginning of a chapter or other division of a book, manuscript, or the like.
—v.t. - to mark or sign with an initial or the initials of one's name, esp. as a token of preliminary or informal approval.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.