initiative

adj

1. (archaic, not-comparable)Serving to initiate.

   “As for Apollos he was skillfull in the Scriptures, and mightily confuted the Iewes by them, he had more then this initiative wisedome, and knew better the difference betweene the baptisme of Christ, and of Iohn, then it seemeth this Iesuite doth.”

   “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”

   “The success of that initiative dish: that first experiment of hers in cookery: was so entire, so unalloyed and perfect, that John Westlock and Tom agreed she must have been studying the art in secret for a long time past;”

2. (US, not-comparable)In which voter initiatives can be brought to the ballot.

   “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.”

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)A beginning; a first move.

   “Not only are all religions welcome at the Voice Community Kitchen, but experts also say such initiatives could be key to improving ethnoreligious engagement and lead to better conflict mediation in the future.”

2. (countable, uncountable)A new development; a fresh approach to something; a new way of dealing with a problem.
3. (countable, uncountable)The ability to act first or on one's own.
4. (countable, uncountable)An issue to be voted on, brought to the ballot by a sufficient number of signatures from among the voting public.