Definition of commencement
1 : an act, instance, or time of commencing They awaited the commencement of the trial.
2a : the ceremonies or the day for conferring degrees or diplomas A Nobel Prize winner will speak at the commencement.b : the period of activities at this time Commencement will kick off with a family reception followed by a banquet.
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Examples of commencement in a Sentence
A poet will speak at the commencement.
there was a large turnout at the commencement of the conference, but the numbers dwindled as it progressed
Origin and Etymology of commencement
see commence
First Known Use: 13th century
Other Education Terms
COMMENCEMENT Defined for English Language Learners
commencement
playDefinition of commencement for English Language Learners
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: the time when something begins
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: a ceremony during which degrees or diplomas are given to students who have graduated from a school or college
COMMENCEMENT Defined for Kids
commencement
playDefinition of commencement for Students
1 : graduation exercises
2 : the act or the time of beginning We look forward to commencement of the school year.
Learn More about commencement
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for commencement Spanish Central: Translation of commencement Nglish: Translation of commencement for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of commencement for Arabic speakers
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