Initial facts for kids

In a written or published work, an initial or drop cap is a letter at the beginning of a word, a chapter, or a paragraph that is larger than the rest of the text. The word is comes from the Latin initialis, which means standing at the beginning. An initial is often several lines in height and in older books or manuscripts. In some cases a name or title can be long so the initials would shorten them.

Examples include: JFK, FDR, AOC, TDK, NYC, USA, KUWTK, EU, etc.

Related pages

• Abbreviation

Images for kids

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  A historiated illuminated initial

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  In principio from the start of the Gospel of John, 9th century

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  Greek biblical text from Papyrus 46, of c. 200, with no initials, punctuation, and barely spaces between words

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  5th century Codex Alexandrinus with initials in left margin

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  "Diminuendo" effect in the first letters after this initial from the Cathach of St. Columba (Irish, 7th century)

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  One of thousands of smaller decorated initials from the Book of Kells

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  Large initial L from a Romanesque Bible

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  Mainz Psalter, printed in 1457 by Johannes Gutenberg – the main initial and border are woodcut, as may be the smaller red initials; the rest of the lettering is metal movable type

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  Fraktur

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  Alexander Agricola's score: "Fortem virili"