beginning
Americannoun
-
an act or circumstance of entering upon an action or state.
the beginning of hostilities.
- Synonyms:
- inception, inauguration, initiation
- Antonyms:
- ending
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the point of time or space at which anything begins.
the beginning of the Christian era; the beginning of the route.
- Synonyms:
- emergence, onset, outset, commencement, start
- Antonyms:
- end
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the first part.
the beginning of the book; the beginning of the month.
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Often beginnings. the initial stage or part of anything.
the beginnings of science.
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origin; source; first cause.
A misunderstanding about the rent was the beginning of their quarrel.
adjective
-
just formed.
a beginning company.
-
first; opening.
the beginning chapters of a book.
-
basic or introductory.
beginning Spanish.
-
learning the fundamentals.
a beginning swimmer.
noun
-
a start; commencement
-
(often plural) a first or early part or stage
-
the place where or time when something starts
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an origin; source
Usage
Spelling tips for beginning The word beginning is hard to spell for two reasons. It doesn't simply combine the base word (begin) with the suffix -ing, as is done in other easy-to-remember words that end in -ing, like starting and talking. Also, it can be tempting to use a double g (beggining) instead of a double n. How to spell beginning: To spell beginning, you take the base word begin and add an n at the end. Then, add the suffix -ing. Why do you need an extra n? Because you should begin right Now.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of beginning
First recorded in 1175–1225, beginning is from the Middle English word beginnung, begonning. See begin, -ing 1
Explanation
The beginning is the first part or section of something, or the place where it starts. You watch the opening credits at the beginning of a movie. "In the beginning," says the beginning of the Bible, "God created the heavens and the earth." Beginning can mean the act of starting something (the day after Thanksgiving is the beginning of the Christmas shopping season), or it can mean the time when something will start (Beginning at noon, all Christmas ornaments will go on sale.) Beginning can also refer to the origin of something, its root or source, as the beginning of the Mississippi River is Lake Itasca, Minnesota.
Vocabulary lists containing beginning
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 3
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Common Core Grade 6, List 3
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Common Core Grade 5, List 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“It’s the beginning of an awakening that it can happen—that the default model that you use will be an open-source model in the future,” said Michael Stewart, a managing partner at M12, Microsoft’s venture fund.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
It then gradually declines, reaching its lowest level at around age 4 years, before beginning to rise again.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026
"We've been there since the beginning," Goncalves said in the carbonised town of Le Porge, which has seen some 12 percent of its buildings go up in smoke.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
Italy, Australia and New Zealand — making episodes available beginning in 2027.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
She thought long and hard, collecting her thoughts, before beginning again.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
In Episode 3 of By the People, equal-marriage campaign architect Marc Solomon joins Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern to trace the movement’s “quixotic” beginnings in 2001.
From Slate ● Aug. 1, 2026
He frequently speaks about his humble beginnings as the son of a bartender and a hotel maid.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
Others, like “Obsession,” catapult from modest beginnings into an echelon of popularity that not even the academics and historians could’ve foreseen.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
He said he wrote the piece to "honour my humble beginnings", adding "I am the son of my father, the baker".
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
The glass has been removed on account of the heat, and although it is still powerful hot out, the beginnings of a breeze makes it’s lazy way through the compartment, providing a bit of relief.
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
