beginning
//bɪˈɡɪn.ɪŋ//
Forms
- Plural
- beginnings
Definitions
1.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.
- My father will return at the beginning of next month.
- My work is just beginning.
2.That which is begun; a rudiment or element.
- My father will return at the beginning of next month.
- My work is just beginning.
3.That which begins or originates something; the source or first cause.
- What was the beginning of the dispute?
4.The initial portion of some extended thing.
- That house is at the beginning of the street.
- The author describes the main character’s youth at the beginning of the story.
- Basic skills are introduced at this time, such as the use of context or meaning clues and the beginning sounds of words.
1.present participle and gerund of begin
- He is beginning to read a new book.
1.Being the first portion of some extended thing.(informal)
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1293
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Uncommon
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Etymology
From Middle English biginning, beginninge, beginnunge, equivalent to begin + -ing.