v.
Pronunciation: k ə - ' men(t)s
Function: verb
Inflected Form: com · menced ; com · menc · ing
Etymology: Middle English comencen, from Anglo-French comencer, from Vulgar Latin *cominitiare, from Latin com- + Late Latin initiare to begin, from Latin, to initiate
Date: 14th century
transitive verb : to enter upon : BEGIN < commence proceedings>
intransitive verb
1 : to have or make a beginning : START <the meeting will commence soon>
2 chiefly British : to take a degree at a university
synonyms see BEGIN
– com · menc · er noun