 3 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
commencement
noun
1: the time at which something is supposed to begin; "they got
an early start"; "she knew from the get-go that he was
the man for her" [syn: {beginning}, {first}, {outset}, {get-go},
{start}, {kickoff}, {starting time}, {showtime}, {offset}]
[ant: {middle}, {end}]
2: an academic exercise in which diplomas are conferred [syn: {commencement
exercise}, {commencement ceremony}, {graduation}, {graduation
exercise}]
3: the act of starting something; "he was responsible for the
beginning of negotiations" [syn: {beginning}, {start}]
[ant: {finish}]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Commencement \Com*mence"ment\, noun [F. commencement.]
1. The first existence of anything; act or fact of
commencing; rise; origin; beginning; start.
The time of Henry VII. . . . nearly coincides with
the commencement of what is termed ''modern
history.'' --Hallam.
2. The day when degrees are conferred by colleges and
universities upon students and others.
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
81 Moby Thesaurus words for "commencement":
A, alpha, baccalaureate service, beginning, birth, blast-off,
celebration, ceremonial, ceremony, conception, convocation,
creation, cutting edge, dawn, dawning, derivation, edge,
empty formality, establishment, exercise, exercises, flying start,
formal, formality, foundation, fresh start, function, genesis,
graduation, graduation exercises, grass roots, head, inaugural,
inauguration, inception, initiation, institution, jump-off,
kick-off, leading edge, liturgy, mummery, new departure,
observance, office, oncoming, onset, opening, origin, original,
origination, outbreak, outset, outstart, performance, provenience,
radical, radix, religious ceremony, rise, rite, rite de passage,
rite of passage, ritual, root, running start, send-off, service,
setting in motion, setting-up, solemnity, solemnization, source,
square one, start, start-off, starting point, stem, stock,
take-off, taproot
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