Definition of "initiative" in English

adjective

1. (archaic) Serving to initiate.

2. (US) 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. A beginning; a first move.

2. A new development; a fresh approach to something; a new way of dealing with a problem.

3. The ability to act first or on one's own.

4. (politics) An issue to be voted on, brought to the ballot by a sufficient number of signatures from among the voting public.