Dictionary Entry
commencement
Part of SpeechnounPronunciation/kuh-mens-muhnt/Word FrequencyCommon (4.55)Curriculum FrequencyLess common (1)The beginning or start of an event, especially a formal ceremony like a graduation.
In a Sentence
“The university's commencement ceremony celebrated the achievements of the graduating class.”
Published Usage Examples
“A warm bath, at the commencement of the disease, is very efficacious; but it must be given at the _commencement_.”
“An image from inside First Cathedral in Bloomfield, Conn., where a high school commencement is scheduled to be held, shows a shepherd's staff.”
This entry also appears in ReadingWillow Year 10 word lists, so students can move between the dictionary and year-level study sets.
Origin
From Latin 'commencare' meaning 'to begin'.
Common Phrases
Poetry examples for “commencement”
Excerpts from the ReadingWillow English Library collection.
Poetry examples are still being gathered for this entry. They will appear here once matching poems are available in the library.
