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Initiate vs Disciple - What's the difference?

initiate | disciple | Related terms |

Initiate is a related term of disciple.


As nouns the difference between initiate and disciple

is that initiate is a new member of an organization while disciple is any of the followers of jesus christ.

As an adjective initiate

is (obsolete) unpractised; untried; new.

As a verb initiate

is to begin; to start.

initiate

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Unpractised; untried; new.
  • * Shakespeare
  • the initiate fear that wants hard use
  • (obsolete) Begun; commenced; introduced to, or instructed in, the rudiments; newly admitted.
  • * Young
  • To rise in science as in bliss, / Initiate in the secrets of the skies.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A new member of an organization.
  • One who has been through a ceremony of initiation.
  • Verb

    (initiat)
  • To begin; to start.
  • * I. Taylor
  • How are changes of this sort to be initiated ?
  • To instruct in the rudiments or principles; to introduce.
  • * Dr. H. More
  • Providence would only initiate mankind into the useful knowledge of her treasures, leaving the rest to employ our industry.
  • * John Locke
  • To initiate his pupil into any part of learning, an ordinary skill in the governor is enough.
  • To confer membership on; especially, to admit to a secret order with mysterious rites or ceremonies.
  • * Bishop Warburton
  • The Athenians believed that he who was initiated and instructed in the mysteries would obtain celestial honour after death.
  • * Spectator
  • He was initiated into half a dozen clubs before he was one and twenty.
  • To do the first act; to perform the first rite; to take the initiative.
  • (Alexander Pope)

    Antonyms

    * (to begin) end, conclude, complete, finish

    disciple

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person who learns from another, especially one who then teaches others.
  • An active follower or adherent of someone, or some philosophy etc.
  • * Holy Bible, Matthew 9:10 (King James Version)
  • And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples .
  • * {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
  • , chapter=4, title= A Cuckoo in the Nest , passage=By some paradoxical evolution rancour and intolerance have been established in the vanguard of primitive Christianity. Mrs. Spoker, in common with many of the stricter disciples of righteousness, was as inclement in demeanour as she was cadaverous in aspect.}}
  • (Ireland) Miserable-looking creature of a man.
  • Synonyms

    * student

    See also

    * apostle

    Verb

    (discipl)
  • (obsolete) To train, educate, teach.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , IV.i:
  • fraile youth is oft to follie led, / Through false allurement of that pleasing baite, / That better were in vertues discipled [...].