1. (n.) The act of initiating, or the process of being initiated or introduced; as, initiation into a society, into business, literature, etc.

2. (n.) The form or ceremony by which a person is introduced into any society; mode of entrance into an organized body; especially, the rite of admission into a secret society or order.

abecedarium abecedary acceptance admission admittance anchorage and arithmetic baccalaureate service baptism beginning celebration ceremonial ceremony colonization coming out commencement convocation curtain raiser debut elementary education elements embarkation embarkment empty formality enlistment enrollment entrance establishment exercise exercises first appearance first steps fixation floating flotation formal formality foundation function graduation graduation exercises hornbook immission inaugural inaugural address inauguration inception induction installation installment instatement institution introduction intromission investiture launching liturgy lodgment maiden speech mooring mummery observance office opener ordination origination peopling performance plantation population preliminary primer propaedeutic reading religious ceremony rite rite de passage rite of passage ritual rudiments service settlement settling solemnity solemnization unveiling writing