inauguration

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ɪˌnɔɡjəˈreɪʃən/ UK /ɪˌnɔːɡjəˈreɪʃən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the formal ceremony marking the start of an office or undertaking

Crowds gathered for the inauguration of the new president.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the formal ceremony marking... installation induction initiation commencement investiture launch

Opposites

termination conclusion

Word family

Related forms inaugurate augur inaugural

Etymology

From Latin inauguratio ('consecration, installation'), from inauguratus, past participle of inaugurare ('to take omens, consecrate'), from in- ('in') + augurare ('to act as augur, take omens'), from augur ('augur, soothsayer').

inaugurare Latin augur Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# inauguration

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

## Meanings
1. the formal ceremony marking the start of an office or undertaking

## Examples
- Crowds gathered for the inauguration of the new president.

## Synonyms
- installation
- induction
- initiation
- commencement
- investiture
- launch

## Antonyms
- termination
- conclusion

## Related Forms
- inaugurate
- augur
- inaugural

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: inaugurare
- Root: augur

## Etymology
From Latin inauguratio ('consecration, installation'), from inauguratus, past participle of inaugurare ('to take omens, consecrate'), from in- ('in') + augurare ('to act as augur, take omens'), from augur ('augur, soothsayer').

## AI Etymology
inauguration comes from Latin inauguratio ('consecration, installation'), from inauguratus, past participle of inaugurare ('to take omens, consecrate'), from in- ('in') + augurare ('to act as augur, take omens'), from augur ('augur, soothsayer'). Morphologically, the prefixed shape matters: the initial element belongs to the recorded formation and helps explain the modern form's surface analysis. In present English, the noun sense is "the formal ceremony marking the start of an office or undertaking", so the historical development ends in a clearly identifiable modern dictionary use. The same base also appears in related forms such as inaugurate, augur, and inaugural. Its semantic neighborhood includes installation, induction, initiation, and commencement, which helps locate the modern sense without adding a separate etymological claim. The named historical forms include Latin inaugurare and Latin augur.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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