different between commencement vs nascence

English

Etymology

From French commencement; analyzable as commence +? -ment.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k??m?nsm?nt/
• Hyphenation: com?mence?ment

Noun

commencement (countable and uncountable, plural commencements)

1. The first existence of anything; act or fact of commencing

   The time of Henry VII nearly coincides with the commencement of what is termed modern history.

   Synonyms: rise, origin, beginning, start, dawn
2. The day when degrees are conferred by colleges and universities upon students and others.
3. A graduation ceremony, from a school, college or university.

Coordinate terms

• (graduation ceremony): convocation

Related terms

• commence

Translations

References

• commencement in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

French

Etymology

Old French comencement, corresponding to commencer +? -ment

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?.m??s.m??/

Noun

commencement m (plural commencements)

1. beginning, start

Further reading

• “commencement” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Middle French

Etymology

Old French comencement, corresponding to commencer +? -ment

Noun

commencement m (plural commencemens)

1. beginning, start

English

Etymology

From Latin nascentem (“arising young, immature”), present participle of nasci (“to be born”) (Old Latin gnasci; see genus).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, US) IPA^(key): /?ne?.s?ns/

Noun

nascence (plural nascences)

1. (rare) Birth.
   • 2004, Linda Dorrell, The Trees of Eden: A Novel, Fleming H Revell Company (?ISBN):

     He had discerned that I was with child. He was a physician first. When he came around offering to see me through my baby's nascence, Mother so thoroughly scolded him for his audacity that he was again left speechless. "I will see to the birth ..."

2. Coming into being; inception, beginning.
   • 2014, Terry Rey, Bourdieu on Religion: Imposing Faith and Legitimacy, Routledge (?ISBN), page 119:

     Careful examination of Romaine's prophecy reveals the operative nature of the Kongolese religious habitus in the nascence of Haitian Vodou, a religion that truly began to crystallize during the Revolution.

References