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1. Bring into being
   "He initiated a new program";
   - originate, start, father
    
2. Take the lead or initiative in; participate in the development of
   "This South African surgeon initiated heart transplants";
   - pioneer
    
3. Accept people into an exclusive society or group, usually with some rite
   "African men are initiated when they reach puberty";
   - induct
    
4. Bring up a topic for discussion
   - broach
    
5. Set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for
   - lead up

1. Someone new to a field or activity
   - novice, beginner, tyro, tiro, rookie [informal]
    
2. Someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field
   - learned person, pundit, savant
    
3. People who have been introduced to the mysteries of some field or activity
   "it is very familiar to the initiate";
   - enlightened

Derived forms: initiates, initiated, initiating

See also: originate in

Type of: admit, bookman, cause, create, discuss, do, engender, hash out, include, let in, make, people, scholar, scholarly person, talk over, unskilled person

Antonym: uninitiate

Encyclopedia: Initiate