THESAURUS
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
ROGET THESAURUS
commencement
Beginning
N
beginning,
commencement, opening, outset, incipience, inception, inchoation, introduction, alpha, initial, inauguration, debut, le premier pas, embarcation, rising of the curtain, maiden speech, outbreak, onset, brunt, initiative, move, first move, narrow end of the wedge, thin end of the wedge, fresh start, new departure, origin, source, rise, bud, germ, egg, rudiment, genesis, primogenesis, birth, nativity, cradle, infancy, start, inception, creation, starting point, dawn, evolution, title-page, head, heading, van, caption, fatihah, entrance, entry, inlet, orifice, mouth, chops, lips, porch, portal, portico, propylon, door, gate, gateway, postern, wicket, threshold, vestibule, propylaeum, skirts, border, first stage, first blush, first glance, first impression, first sight, rudiments, elements, outlines, grammar, alphabet, ABC, beginning, initial, initiatory, initiative, inceptive, introductory, incipient, proemial, inaugural, inchoate, inchoative, embryonic, rudimental, primogenial, primeval, primitive, primordial, aboriginal, natal, nascent, first, foremost, leading, maiden, begun, just begun, at the beginning, in the beginning first, in the first place, imprimis, first and foremost, in limine, in the bud, in embryo, in its infancy, from the beginning, from its birth, ab initio, ab ovo, ab incunabilis, ab origine, let's get going!, let's get this show on the road!, up and at 'em!, aller Anfang ist schwer, dimidium facti qui coepit habet, omnium rerum principia parva sunt.