initiée

Initiée is the feminine form of the French noun and past participle initié. It designates a person who has been initiated into a particular knowledge, practice, or group, or who is considered part of an inner circle of insiders. As an adjective, it can describe someone who possesses initiated knowledge or status, especially in esoteric, religious, scholarly, or professional contexts. The term often carries connotations of a rite of passage, tradition, or special competence rather than mere experience.

Etymology: It derives from the verb initier (to initiate), which in turn comes from Latin initiare, related to initium meaning beginning. The masculine form is initié; feminine initiée is used for a woman. Plurals are initiés (masc. or mixed) and initiées (fem.).

Usage: In contemporary French, initiée can refer to a person who has been admitted to a particular circle, field, or tradition—examples include "une initiée en philosophie," "une initiée à la cryptographie," or "une initiée aux arts mystiques." The phrase can describe social insider status or expertise, and may appear in discussions of rites, esotericism, or cultural subcultures. In English translations, initiée is typically rendered as "the initiated" or "an initiated woman" when gender specificity matters.

See also: initiation, initié, designation of insiders, initiation rites.