What does commencement mean?
Commencement is a formal noun meaning the beginning or starting point of something — an undertaking, a period of time, a legal obligation, or a course of events. One might speak of the commencement of a project, of hostilities, or of a lease. The word carries a distinctly official tone, appearing most often in legal documents, institutional announcements, and ceremonial language rather than casual conversation. In North America it has developed a celebrated second sense: the graduation ceremony at which degrees and diplomas are conferred, often marked by a commencement address delivered to the graduating class. This usage gives the word its most familiar cultural resonance, since the name captures a pleasing paradox — a ceremony that marks the completion of study is called a 'commencement' because it simultaneously inaugurates graduates into the next phase of life. British English retains only the general 'beginning' sense, using 'graduation ceremony' for the academic event.
The beginning or start of something.
"The commencement of the fiscal year falls on 1 April."
Common in legal, contractual, and official contexts.
(North American) A graduation ceremony at which academic degrees or diplomas are conferred.
"Thousands of families gathered for the university's commencement."
This sense is specific to the United States and Canada; other varieties of English use 'graduation ceremony'.
The plural is rare and typically refers to multiple ceremonies, such as those held by different institutions or in successive years.
"The two universities held their commencements on the same weekend."
In American universities, 'commencement' marks the end of your degree — because every ending, fittingly, is also a beginning.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of commencement
Commencement entered English from Old French 'comencement', meaning a beginning, derived from the verb 'comencer' (to begin), which itself is of uncertain ultimate origin, possibly connected to Late Latin elements. The word has been used in English since the Middle Ages, and its academic sense arose early in American colonial colleges, where graduation exercises were framed as the start of the graduate's public career — hence a 'commencement' rather than a conclusion. Its closest relative in modern English is the verb 'commence'.
How commencement is actually used
Formal in register; 'commencement' appears chiefly in official, legal, and ceremonial contexts rather than everyday speech. The graduation-ceremony sense is distinctly North American — British English uses 'graduation ceremony', 'degree ceremony', or 'congregation' (at Oxford and Cambridge) instead.
Easily confused with commencement
Commerce refers to trade and business activity, while commencement means a beginning or a graduation ceremony.