inauguration

Inauguration is the process of inaugurating someone—officially inducting them into a position.

It can also refer to the process of introducing something into use with a formal ceremony.

Inauguration is also commonly used to refer to a ceremony in which a person or thing is inaugurated.

The inauguration of U.S. presidents—in which they are officially inducted into office and sworn in—happens on Inauguration Day.

The inauguration of a new factory or public building might involve a ribbon-cutting ceremony or a dedication ceremony, for example. However, the word is not all that commonly used in this way. In the context of buildings, the word dedication is more common.

The verb inaugurate can also be used in a more general way meaning to formally or officially take action to begin something—to initiate or commence it. The noun inauguration can also be used in this general way to mean initiation or commencement, as in The end of the war brought about the inauguration of a new era.

Example: In the U.S., presidents are elected in November, but their terms don’t officially begin until their inauguration in January.

The first records of the word inauguration come from the 1560s. It ultimately comes from the Latin verb inaugurāre, meaning “to consecrate by augury.” In ancient Rome, an augury was the rite or ceremony held by an augur—a kind of soothsayer or priest whose job was to interpret omens to guide decisions. In Ancient Rome, the augurs were consulted before lawmakers officially took a position.

In the U.S., the inauguration of the president happens on January 20 following a presidential election (or January 21 if January 20 falls on a Sunday). This date is set by the 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the first president whose inauguration took place on this day when he began his second term in 1937. Other elected officials, such as governors, are inducted in inauguration ceremonies, but the inauguration of the president is the most well-known, likely due to the importance of the office and the grand nature of the ceremony.

What are some other forms related to inauguration?

• inaugurate (verb)

What are some synonyms for inauguration?

• induction
• installation
• installment
• initiation
• commencement
• dedication

What are some words that share a root or word element with inauguration? 

• Inauguration Day
• inaugural
• augur
• augury

What are some words that often get used in discussing inauguration?

• president
• presidential
• ceremony
• formal
• official
• swear in
• oath of office
• office
• government
• Capitol

Inauguration is most commonly used in the context of formal ceremonies. In the U.S., the word is closely associated with the official induction of a new president on Inauguration Day.

Former President Obama and Michelle Obama "look forward to attending" the inauguration of President-elect Biden and VP-elect Harris, per the former president’s office.

— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 8, 2021

President-elect Joe Biden’s Inauguration Day theme will be “America United,” his inaugural committee announced.

He will also pay a visit to Arlington National Cemetery with former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. https://t.co/3VnxaHTX8Y

— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 11, 2021

During a religious ceremony marking the inauguration of the construction of the Rama temple, the prime minister, who heads the government of a country with a secular constitution, participated in the religious ritual, acting like a priest. https://t.co/EEMVq7zUYP

— The Caravan (@thecaravanindia) January 12, 2021

True or False?

The inauguration of a politician involves their removal from office.