beginning

[bih-gin-ing]

noun

1. an act or circumstance of entering upon an action or state.

   the beginning of hostilities.

   Synonyms: inception, inauguration, initiation
   Antonyms: ending

2. 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

3. the first part.

   the beginning of the book; the beginning of the month.

4. Often beginnings. the initial stage or part of anything.

   the beginnings of science.

5. origin; source; first cause.

   A misunderstanding about the rent was the beginning of their quarrel.

adjective

1. just formed.

   a beginning company.

2. first; opening.

   the beginning chapters of a book.

3. basic or introductory.

   beginning Spanish.

4. learning the fundamentals.

   a beginning swimmer.

beginning

/ bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ /

noun

1. a start; commencement

2. (often plural) a first or early part or stage

3. the place where or time when something starts

4. an origin; source

Word History and Origins

Origin of beginning¹

First recorded in 1175–1225, beginning is from the Middle English word beginnung, begonning. See begin, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Filling those empty chairs, commanding attention is just the beginning of the task she confronts.

From BBC

Israeli bombardment continued in several parts of the Gaza Strip on Monday ahead of the talks beginning.

From BBC

With AI beginning to look as if it has reached a deployment plateau — if not a lessening of hype — high-tech promoters and investors are on the hunt for the next big thing.

From Los Angeles Times

The first day of September should have marked the beginning of one of the busiest periods of the year for Jaguar Land Rover.

From BBC

Meanwhile, the consequences of the shutdown are beginning to mount as the shutdown drags into its second week.

From BBC

Related Words

• birth 
• creation 
• dawn 
• inauguration 
• inception 
• introduction 
• onset 
• opening 
• outset 
• starting point www.thesaurus.com
• top 

When To Use

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.