Beginning

Pronunciation

• enPR: bÄ­gÄ­n'Ä­ng, IPA: /bɪˈɡɪn.ɪŋ/

Alternative forms

• begynnynge obsolete

Origin

Verbal noun of begin.

Full definition of beginning

Noun

1. (uncountable) The act of doing that which begins anything; commencement of an action, state, or space of time; entrance into being or upon a course; the first act, effort, or state of a succession of acts or states.
2. That which is begun; a rudiment or element.
3. That which begins or originates something; the first cause; origin; source.
4. The initial portion of some extended thing.The author describes the protagonist's youth in the beginning of the storyThe house you want is down at the beginning of the street

Synonyms

• (act of doing that which begins anything) commencing, start, starting
• (that which is begun; rudiment or element) element, embryo, rudiment
• (that which begins or originates something) origin, source, start, commencement
• (initial portion of some extended thing) head, start

Antonyms

• (act of doing that which begins anything) conclusion, end

Derived terms

• a good beginning makes a good ending
• beginning of day
• in the beginning

Verb

1. Present participle of begin
• 1918, W. B. Maxwell, The Mirror and the Lamp Chapter 7, The turmoil went on—no rest, no peace. … It was nearly eleven o'clock now, and he strolled out again. In the little fair created by the costers' barrows the evening only seemed beginning; and the naphtha flares made one's eyes ache, the men's voices grated harshly, and the girls' faces saddened one.
2. He is beginning to read a new book.

Synonyms

• commencing
• starting

Adjective

1. (informal) Of or relating to the first portion of some extended thing.in the beginning paragraph of the chapterin the beginning section of the course

Synonyms

• first
• initial