How to pronounce initiate
Say it like in-ISH-ee-ayt. Initiate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ISH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce initiate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- ISH
- ee
- ayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Initiate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ISHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- aytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of initiate
American and British speakers say initiate in essentially the same way: /ˌɪˈnɪʃiˌeɪt/ in the US and /ɪˈnɪʃɪˌeɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: ih-NISH-ih-ayt.
What does initiate mean?
- bring into being“He initiated a new program”“Start a foundation”
- take the lead or initiative in; participate in the development of“This South African surgeon pioneered heart transplants”
- accept people into an exclusive society or group, usually with some rite“African men are initiated when they reach puberty”
- someone new to a field or activity
- someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field
- people who have been introduced to the mysteries of some field or activity“it is very familiar to the initiate”
Where does initiate come from?
Borrowed from Latin initiātus, perfect passive participle of initiō (“to begin, originate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from initium (“a beginning”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix), from initus (“an entrance, coming in, approach”) + -ium,
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with initiate
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of initiate.
Questions about saying initiate
How do you pronounce initiate?
Say in-ISH-ee-ayt. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪˈnɪʃiˌeɪt/. In British English it is /ɪˈnɪʃɪˌeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in initiate?
Initiate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ISH). Broken into parts: in · ISH · ee · ayt.
Do Americans and Brits say initiate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪˈnɪʃiˌeɪt/ and the British form is /ɪˈnɪʃɪˌeɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.