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Where does the word "commence" come from? It comes from Vulgar Latin cominitiare, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "commence" come from? It comes from Vulgar Latin cominitiare, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Commence’s story begins in Vulgar Latin: cominitiare meant “to begin together.” 'com-' plus 'initiare', to begin. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as comencier. The ordinary Old French verb for begin. It reached English by 1300s as commence. US 'commencement' is a graduation ceremony. Today, commence means to begin.
- Stage 1 · Vulgar Latin · ancient cominitiare "to begin together", 'com-' plus 'initiare', to begin.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval comencier "to begin", the ordinary Old French verb for begin.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s commence "to begin", US 'commencement' is a graduation ceremony.