commencement

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /kəˈmɛnsmənt/ UK /kəˈmɛnsmənt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a beginning, or a graduation ceremony

The dean delivered a stirring address at commencement.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a beginning, or a... beginning start outset onset inception graduation

Opposites

end conclusion termination finale

Word family

Related forms commence recommence

Etymology

From Old French comencement ('beginning'), from comencier ('to begin'), from Vulgar Latin cominitiare, from com- (intensive) + initiare ('to begin'), from initium ('beginning').

comencement Old French initium Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# commencement

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /kəˈmɛnsmənt/
**IPA (UK):** /kəˈmɛnsmənt/

## Meanings
1. a beginning, or a graduation ceremony

## Examples
- The dean delivered a stirring address at commencement.

## Synonyms
- beginning
- start
- outset
- onset
- inception
- graduation

## Antonyms
- end
- conclusion
- termination
- finale

## Related Forms
- commence
- recommence

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: comencement
- Root: initium

## Etymology
From Old French comencement ('beginning'), from comencier ('to begin'), from Vulgar Latin cominitiare, from com- (intensive) + initiare ('to begin'), from initium ('beginning').

## AI Etymology
Commencement is from Old French comencement ('beginning'), from comencier ('to begin'), from Vulgar Latin cominitiare, from com- (intensive) + initiare ('to begin'), from initium ('beginning'). Important recorded forms include comencement (Old French) and initium (Latin). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers a beginning, or a graduation ceremony. The wider family includes related words such as commence and recommence.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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