initio

A student writes the word "initio" at the beginning of a new chapter.

Definition

1. Adverb:
   • From the beginning: "initio" is a Latin-derived adverb used primarily in formal or legal contexts to mean "from the start" or "at the outset." It is most commonly encountered in the phrase "ab initio", meaning "from the beginning."

Usage Examples

• (The contract was considered invalid from the very start.)
• (The project was flawed from the beginning.)

Advanced Usage

• "ab initio" (Latin phrase): used in law, science, and formal writing to indicate that something is considered as having effect from the initial moment, not from a later point.

  • The court ruled that the agreement was null and void ab initio. (The agreement had no legal force from its inception.)

• "initio" is rarely used alone; it almost always appears as part of the fixed phrase "ab initio" or in Latin citations (e.g., initio mundi "from the beginning of the world").

Variants and Related Words

• Initial (adj): occurring at the beginning; first.

  • The initial stage of the project was successful. (The first stage was successful.)

• Initiate (v): to begin or start something.

  • They will initiate the new policy next month. (They will start the new policy.)

• Initiation (n): the process of being started or introduced to something.

  • The initiation of the training program took place in January. (The beginning of the program happened in January.)

Synonyms

• From the outset: from the very beginning.
• Initially: at first; at the start.

Related Idioms

• From the get-go (informal): from the very beginning.

  • He was against the plan from the get-go. (He opposed the plan from the start.)

• From scratch: from the very beginning, without using anything already prepared.

  • We built the company from scratch. (We started with nothing and built it up.)