commencement

UK/kəˈmɛnsmənt/US/kəˈmɛnsmənt/

nounC1Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #11,961 of 15,258mostly written

Commencement is the act of starting something, or an American degree ceremony. At the commencement of the term.

The American sense is the ceremony rather than the start, since it begins the graduate's next life. In Britain commencement is formal and appears mostly in contracts.

Definitions of commencement

1nouncommencementThe act of starting something, or in America the ceremony at which students receive their degrees.C1
“The commencement of the lease was backdated by a fortnight.”

commencement is a beginning.

Also accepted in games: genesis

Where it comes from

French commencement comes from commencer, to begin.

French
commencement
English, today
commencement

From French commencement; analyzable as commence + -ment.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practise this word

commencement in the wild

The commencement is a ceremony in which degrees or diplomas are conferred upon graduating students.
Commencement speech
A commencement speech is typically given by a notable figure in the community or a graduating student.
Commencement speech
Each year, Virginia Tech holds commencement ceremonies at the end of the academic year in May, as well as at the end of the Fall semester in December.
List of Virginia Tech commencement speakers
Fall commencement is held in Cassell Coliseum, and Spring Commencement is held in Lane Stadium.
List of Virginia Tech commencement speakers
The University of Notre Dame's annual commencement exercises are held each May, currently in the Notre Dame Stadium.
Commencement at the University of Notre Dame

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

Related words

commence

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