Commencement Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms commencement American [kuh-mens-muhnt] / kəˈmɛns mənt /

noun

1. an act or instance of commencing; beginning.

   the commencement of hostilities.

2. the ceremony of conferring degrees or granting diplomas at the end of the academic year.

3. the day on which this ceremony takes place.

commencement British / kəˈmɛnsmənt /

noun

1. the beginning; start

2. 1. a ceremony for the presentation of awards at secondary schools

   2. a ceremony for the conferment of academic degrees

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• noncommencement noun
• recommencement noun

Etymology

Origin of commencement

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French; equivalent to commence + -ment

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He added that "lots of stuff has to be done this year in order to enable the actual commencement of building".

From BBC

He said the site's existing planning permission had been awarded a lawful commencement notice over a decade ago, so it remained valid.

From BBC

About a month after her commencement speech, she was pitching a Harker student for a check.

From The Wall Street Journal

The earlier commencement of the holiday retail season, commonly referred to as “Christmas creep,” has long influenced Madison Avenue’s holiday ad strategies.

From The Wall Street Journal

He once delivered 15 commencement addresses in nine days.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• convocation
• dawning
• graduation
• initiation
• kickoff
• onset
• outset

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.