commencement

Noun

• the act of starting something
  • he was responsible for the beginning of negotiations
    

• an academic exercise in which diplomas are conferred

• the time at which something is supposed to begin
  • they got an early start
    
  • she knew from the get-go that he was the man for her
    

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  beginning , start , commencement exercise , commencement ceremony , graduation , graduation exercise
• Antonyms: 
  finish , finishing