The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Initiate \In*i"ti*ate\, n.
   One who is, or is to be, initiated.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Initiate \In*i"ti*ate\, v. i.
   To do the first act; to perform the first rite; to take the
   initiative. [R.] --Pope.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Initiate \In*i"ti*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Initiated; p. pr.
   & vb. n. Initiating.] [L. initiatus, p. p. of initiare to
   begin, fr. initium beginning. See Initial.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To introduce by a first act; to make a beginning with; to
      set afoot; to originate; to commence; to begin or enter
      upon.
      [1913 Webster]

            How are changes of this sort to be initiated? --I.
                                                  Taylor.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To acquaint with the beginnings; to instruct in the
      rudiments or principles; to introduce.
      [1913 Webster]

            Providence would only initiate mankind into the
            useful knowledge of her treasures, leaving the rest
            to employ our industry.               --Dr. H. More.
      [1913 Webster]

            To initiate his pupil into any part of learning, an
            ordinary skill in the governor is enough. --Locke.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To introduce into a society or organization; to confer
      membership on; especially, to admit to a secret order with
      mysterious rites or ceremonies.
      [1913 Webster]

            The Athenians believed that he who was initiated and
            instructed in the mysteries would obtain celestial
            honor after death.                    --Bp.
                                                  Warburton.
      [1913 Webster]

            He was initiated into half a dozen clubs before he
            was one and twenty.                   --Spectator.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Initiate \In*i"ti*ate\, a. [L. initiatus, p. p.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. Unpracticed; untried; new. [Obs.] "The initiate fear that
      wants hard use." --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Begun; commenced; introduced to, or instructed in, the
      rudiments; newly admitted.
      [1913 Webster]

            To rise in science as in bliss,
            Initiate in the secrets of the skies. --Young.
      [1913 Webster]

   Initiate tenant by courtesy (Law), said of a husband who
      becomes such in his wife's estate of inheritance by the
      birth of a child, but whose estate is not consummated till
      the death of the wife. --Mozley & W.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

initiate
    n 1: someone new to a field or activity [syn: novice,
         beginner, tyro, tiro, initiate]
    2: someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly
       field [syn: initiate, 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"
       [syn: initiate, enlightened] [ant: uninitiate]
    v 1: bring into being; "He initiated a new program"; "Start a
         foundation" [syn: originate, initiate, start]
    2: take the lead or initiative in; participate in the
       development of; "This South African surgeon pioneered heart
       transplants" [syn: initiate, pioneer]
    3: accept people into an exclusive society or group, usually
       with some rite; "African men are initiated when they reach
       puberty" [syn: initiate, induct]
    4: bring up a topic for discussion [syn: broach, initiate]
    5: set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for;
       "Hitler's attack on Poland led up to World War II" [syn:
       lead up, initiate]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

150 Moby Thesaurus words for "initiate":
   Greek, abecedarian, accept, accomplished, activate, actuate, admit,
   affiliate, alphabetarian, apprentice, articled clerk, associate,
   at concert pitch, begin, beginner, belonger, boot, break ground,
   break the ice, bring up, broach, brother, card-carrier,
   card-carrying member, cardholder, career, catechumen,
   charter member, christen, clubber, clubman, clubwoman, coach,
   coached, commence, committeeman, comrade, conventioneer,
   conventioner, conventionist, conversant, create, debutant, drill,
   dues-paying member, enlist, enlistee, enroll, enrollee, enter,
   enter on, enter upon, entrant, establish, fellow, finished,
   fledgling, float, found, fraternity man, freshman, get going,
   get off, get under way, give rise to, greenhorn, guildsman, head,
   head up, honorary member, ignoramus, inaugurate, induct, inductee,
   initiated, insider, install, instate, instigate, institute,
   instruct, introduce, invent, invest, joiner, kick off, launch,
   lead, lead off, lead the way, life member, lift up, member,
   neophyte, new boy, newcomer, novice, novitiate, one of us, open,
   ordain, originate, pioneer, pledge, postulant, practiced,
   pre-educate, precede, prepared, primed, probationer, probationist,
   professional, raise, raw recruit, recruit, ring in, rookie,
   set agoing, set going, set in motion, set off, set on foot, set up,
   sign on, sign up, sister, skilled, socius, sorority girl,
   sorority woman, stand first, start, start going, start up, take in,
   take the initiative, take the lead, take the plunge, take up,
   teach, technical, tenderfoot, train, trained, trigger, turn on,
   tutor, tyro, usher in



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

INITIATE. A right which is incomplete. By the birth of a child, the husband
becomes tenant by the curtesy initiate, but his estate is not consummate
until the death of the wife. 2 Bouv. Inst. n. 1725.