commence

C1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /kəˈmens/ UK /kəˈmɛns/ See IPA manual

Freq #9871

Meanings

1

verb
To begin or start.

The ceremony will commence at noon.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to begin or start. begin start

Opposites

cease complete conclude end finish stop

Word family

Forms commencedcommencescommencing

Derived forms commenceable

Related forms commencement

Etymology

From Middle English commencen, comencen (also as contracted comsen, cumsen), from Anglo-Norman comencer, from Vulgar Latin *cominitiāre, formed from Latin com- + initiō (whence English initiate).

commencen Middle English comencier xno *cominitiāre la-vul com- Latin

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Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

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# commence

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /kəˈmens/
**IPA (UK):** /kəˈmɛns/
**Frequency rank:** 9871

## Meanings
1. To begin or start.

## Examples
- The ceremony will commence at noon.

## Synonyms
- begin

## Antonyms
- cease
- complete
- conclude
- end
- finish
- stop

## Derived Forms
- commenceable

## Related Forms
- commencement

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: commencen
- Root: comencier
- Root: *cominitiāre
- Root: com-

## Etymology
From Middle English commencen, comencen (also as contracted comsen, cumsen), from Anglo-Norman comencer, from Vulgar Latin *cominitiāre, formed from Latin com- + initiō (whence English initiate).

## AI Etymology
Commence is from Middle English commencen, comencen (also as contracted comsen, cumsen), from Anglo-Norman comencer, from Vulgar Latin *cominitiāre, formed from Latin com- + initiō (whence English initiate). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include commencen (Middle English), comencier (xno), *cominitiāre (la-vul), and com- (Latin). Current senses include to begin or start. The wider family includes derived forms such as commenceable and related words such as commencement.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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commence

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