Initiation

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Initiation \In*i`ti*a"tion\, n. [L. initiatio: cf. F.
     initiation.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. The act of initiating, or the process of being initiated
        or introduced; as, initiation into a society, into
        business, literature, etc. "The initiation of courses of


        events." --Pope.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The form or ceremony by which a person is introduced into
        any society; mode of entrance into an organized body;
        especially, the rite of admission into a secret society or
        order.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Silence is the first thing that is taught us at our
              initiation into sacred mysteries.     --Broome.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  initiation
       n 1: a formal entry into an organization or position or office;
            "his initiation into the club"; "he was ordered to
            report for induction into the army"; "he gave a speech
            as part of his installation into the hall of fame" [syn:
             {induction}, {installation}]
       2: the act of starting something for the first time;
          introducing something new; "she looked forward to her
          initiation as an adult"; "the foundation of a new
          scientific society"; "he regards the fork as a modern
          introduction" [syn: {founding}, {foundation}, {institution},
           {origination}, {creation}, {innovation}, {introduction},
          {instauration}]
       3: wisdom as evidenced by the possession of knowledge; "his
          knowledgeability impressed me"; "his dullness was due to
          lack of initiation" [syn: {knowledgeability}, {knowledgeableness}]
       4: an act that sets in motion some course of events [syn: {trigger},
           {induction}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  87 Moby Thesaurus words for "initiation":
     abecedarium, abecedary, acceptance, admission, admittance,
     anchorage, and arithmetic, baccalaureate service, baptism,
     beginning, celebration, ceremonial, ceremony, colonization,
     coming out, commencement, convocation, curtain raiser, debut,
     elementary education, elements, embarkation, embarkment,
     empty formality, enlistment, enrollment, entrance, establishment,
     exercise, exercises, first appearance, first steps, fixation,
     floating, flotation, formal, formality, foundation, function,
     graduation, graduation exercises, hornbook, immission, inaugural,
     inaugural address, inauguration, inception, induction,
     installation, installment, instatement, institution, introduction,
     intromission, investiture, launching, liturgy, lodgment,
     maiden speech, mooring, mummery, observance, office, opener,
     ordination, origination, peopling, performance, plantation,
     population, preliminary, primer, propaedeutic, reading,
     religious ceremony, rite, rite de passage, rite of passage, ritual,
     rudiments, service, settlement, settling, solemnity, solemnization,
     unveiling, writing