initiative

CEFRB2

/ɪˈnɪʃ.ə.tɪv/

noun · adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    The ability and willingness to act without being told.

  2. 02

    noun

    A new plan or action intended to solve a problem.

Examples

  • Don't be shy about talking to the teacher; if you don't understand, use some initiative!

  • The initiative was generally considered a success.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
4
Synonyms
4

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A beginning; a first move.

  2. In which voter initiatives can be brought to the ballot.

adjective

Extra meaning

  1. Serving to initiate.

More examples

In context

  • Companies welcome workers who take initiative.

  • The second row shows that initiative states fill more constitutional offices by election than noninitiative states, and the difference is statistically significant after controlling for region and population.

  • suspected! that indefinite word, which was tortured into every meaning of injustice and oppression, and became what the French call the mot de ralliement, the initiative term of captivity and death

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

She showed great blank by starting the community project all on her own.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From French initiative, from Medieval Latin *initiativus (“serving to initiate”), from Late Latin initiare (“to begin, to initiate”), from Latin initium (“beginning”), from ineo (“enter, begin”). By surface analysis, initiate + -ive.