beginning

A2 Topic:Time

US /ˈbɪɡ.ɪ.nɪnɡ/ UK /bᵻˈɡɪn.ɪŋ/ See IPA manual

Freq #1046

Meanings

1

noun
The first part of something.

The author describes the main character's youth at the beginning of the story.
2

noun
The act or time of starting something.

I was responsible for the beginning of the negotiations.
3

noun
The point or cause from which something originates.

What was the beginning of the dispute?

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the first part of something. start head

2 noun · the act or time of starting... commencement start

3 noun · the point or cause from... origin source root

More birth font fount inauguration initiation launch onset origination spring springtime youth

Opposites

completion conclusion end finish

Word family

Forms beginnings

Derived forms begincementbeginninglessunbeginning

Related forms cause

Common collocations

Etymology

From Middle English begynnyng, bygynnynge, From Old English *beginnende (attested only as Old English onginnende), from Proto-Germanic *biginnandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *biginnaną (“to begin”), equivalent to begin + -ing.

begynnyng Middle English *beginnende Old English *biginnandz Proto-Germanic *biginnaną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Time

External links

# beginning

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈbɪɡ.ɪ.nɪnɡ/
**IPA (UK):** /bᵻˈɡɪn.ɪŋ/
**Frequency rank:** 1046

## Meanings
1. The first part of something.
2. The act or time of starting something.
3. The point or cause from which something originates.

## Examples
- The author describes the main character's youth at the beginning of the story.
- I was responsible for the beginning of the negotiations.
- What was the beginning of the dispute?

## Synonyms
- birth
- font
- fount
- inauguration
- initiation
- launch
- onset
- origination
- spring
- springtime
- youth

## Antonyms
- completion
- conclusion
- end
- finish

## Derived Forms
- begincement
- beginningless
- unbeginning

## Related Forms
- cause

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: begynnyng
- Root: *beginnende
- Root: *biginnandz
- Root: *biginnaną

## Etymology
From Middle English begynnyng, bygynnynge, From Old English *beginnende (attested only as Old English onginnende), from Proto-Germanic *biginnandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *biginnaną (“to begin”), equivalent to begin + -ing.

## AI Etymology
Beginning comes from Middle English begynnyng, bygynnynge, From Old English *beginnende (attested only as Old English onginnende), from Proto-Germanic *biginnandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *biginnaną (“to begin”), equivalent to begin + -ing.

## Topics
- Time

markdown