Dictionary forminitium, initii(neuter)
Translation
beginning, start; entrance
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Grammar
Cases
| Case | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominativethe subject | initium | initia |
| Vocativecalling someone: O ... | initium | initia |
| Accusativethe direct object; after ad, in (into), per | initium | initia |
| Genitiveof | initii | initiorum |
| Dativeto, for | initio | initiis |
| Ablativeby, with, from; after a, ab, cum, de, e, ex, in (in), sine | initio | initiis |
Examples
.
In the beginning was the word.
.
It was the beginning of the war.
narravit.
He told everything from the beginning.
.
This is the start of a great work.
obscura .
The beginnings of things are obscure.
Initium, initii is second declension neuter, from ineo, "go in". In initio opens both Genesis and John in the Vulgate, which makes it one of the first Latin phrases most people ever meet, and ab initio is still live in English legal usage.
The plural does extra work: initia can mean first principles, and in classical writers it means initiation rites, the mysteries. Principium is the near synonym and the more abstract of the two - initium is where a thing starts, principium what it starts from and rests on. English initial, initiate and initiative all follow the noun rather than the verb.
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initium: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Latin word "initium" (beginning, start; entrance): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is taught in chapter 6, lesson 8: initium, descendo, gaudium and 6 more words.