graduation exercise
1
3.6
- noun
- /ˌɡrædʒuˈeɪʃən ˈɛksərˌsaɪz/
- Formal
:
ceremonia de graduación
- The graduation exercise will take place in June.
- prayer at graduation exercise
Examples
-
As a professor, I regularly attend my university's graduation exercise each spring.
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Parents and friends gathered to watch the graduation exercise and celebrate the achievements of the students.
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Each senior looked forward to walking across the stage during the graduation exercise.
-
The university's graduation exercise will take place next Saturday in the main auditorium.
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He attended the graduation exercise for his master's degree.
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The first of the graduation exercises took place yesterday morning at the campus in Hempstead, L.I.
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Themes of service to others, unity, seizing the day, and treasuring special moments permeated the graduation exercises.
Synonyms
90
2.0
A ceremony where students receive degrees or diplomas
31
6.5
A ceremony where students receive their degrees
1
3.5
A formal university event where graduates get their degrees and hear speeches
1
5.6
A formal ceremony where students receive degrees or diplomas
How Formal
- Formal
1
7.7
- Formal
1
3.6
- Formal
1
3.5
- Formal
31
6.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
Both constituents directly indicate the event: 'graduation' names the awarding of degrees and 'exercise' can mean a formal ceremony, so their combination clearly denotes a ceremonial graduation event. This compositional pattern (noun+noun specifying the type of ceremony) is predictable and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the parts should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
Graduation exercise may come from an older use of the word exercise for a public school event where students showed their work or skills. Imagine students standing before an audience to perform or read — that public 'exercise' became the formal ceremony when diplomas are given, so the phrase means the official 'ceremony' for graduates.