initials: ornamental letters, usually capital, used for the first letter of a chapter or section or to draw the reader's attention, also called decorative initials or drop caps (dropped capitals).
In hand-written manuscripts a decorated initial is often a littera notabilior, a Latin phrase meaning a more noticeable letter.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
Th
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
![167.—German Gothic Initials [A – H].](https://tn.fromoldbooks.org/Brown-LettersAndLettering/wm/big/167-German-Gothic-Initials-A-H-q75-280x200.jpg "167.—German Gothic Initials [A – H]., from Letters & Lettering: A Treatise With 200 Examples, by Brown, Frank Chouteau")
