commencement (n.)

• alpha
• beginning
• birth
• celebration
• ceremonial
• ceremony
• conception
• convocation
• creation
• dawn
• dawning
• derivation
• edge
• establishment
• exercise
• exercises
• formal
• formality
• foundation
• function
• genesis
• graduation
• head
• inaugural
• inauguration
• inception
• initiation
• institution
• liturgy
• mummery
• observance
• office
• oncoming
• onset
• opening
• origin
• original
• origination
• outbreak
• outset
• performance
• provenience
• radical
• radix
• rise
• rite
• ritual
• root
• send-off
• service
• solemnity
• solemnization
• source
• start
• start-off
• stem
• stock
• taproot