kəˈmen(t)s verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English comencen, from Middle French comencer, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin cominitiare, from Latin com- + Late Latin initiare to begin, from Latin, to initiate — more at initiate
transitive verb
1. : to enter upon : begin , start
commence a literary career
commence to buy securities
they sat down and tried to commence a conversation — George Meredith
2. : to initiate formally by performing the first act of
commence legal proceedings
intransitive verb
1. : to have a beginning : begin , start , originate
the program commenced with a prayer
the debate will commence on Tuesday
2. : to begin to be : begin to act as : assume a role or function as
3. chiefly Britain : to take a degree at a university — usually used with prepositional phrase indicating the faculty
commence in arts
or with a complement indicating the degree
commence doctor
Synonyms: see begin