commence
UK: kəˈmens | US: kəˈmens
vi. to begin or start something formally or officially
vt. to initiate or set in motion
commence = com<together> + mence<begin>
- com: A Latin prefix meaning "together" or "with," often intensifying the root.
- mencer: Derived from Old French comencier (to begin), itself from Latin initiare (to initiate). The root mencer evolved into the modern -mence, retaining the core sense of "beginning."
Etymology Origin:
The word commence entered English via Old French in the 14th century, blending the Latin prefix com- (emphasizing collective action) with mencer (to start). Originally tied to formal ceremonies (e.g., academic commencements), it gradually broadened to any intentional beginning. The morpheme -mence is rare in English, making commence a memorable example of Latin-French fusion.
The ceremony will commence at noon sharp.
She commenced her speech with a quote from Shakespeare.
Construction is scheduled to commence next month.
The meeting commenced after everyone arrived.
He commenced his career as a junior analyst.