anfänglich

The German word "anfänglich" is an adjective that means "initial" or "at the beginning". It is derived from the noun "Anfang" which means "beginning" or "start".

Similar words in German include:

• "ursprünglich" (original)
• "zunächst" (at first)
• "einstmals" (once, formerly; though this applies more to something that happened once in the past rather than at the outset).

Differences:

• "ursprünglich" generally implies something in its original state or from the origin. It often carries a sense of something that existed before any changes were made.
• "zunächst" tends to emphasize the very first step or moment and is frequently used to indicate the first point of time in a sequence.
• "einstmals" denotes something that happened once upon a time and is usually more historical or nostalgic in its usage.

"Anfänglich" specifically refers to the initial phase of something, but without the broader historical or sequence connotations that may be implied by "ursprünglich" or "zunächst".