commencement day
- noun
- /kəˈmɛnsmənt deɪ/
- Formal
- I have given Alexandra an ultimatum: she has until commencement day to decide if she wants to marry me.
Each commencement day was a holiday of annual joy in learning.
- Each commencement day was a holiday of annual joy in learning.
Examples
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I am indeed honoured to welcome our Commencement Day speaker, Doctor Jim Lehrer.
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I stand here today with you and look out over these young men and, of course, I am reminded of other commencement days and other young men, men of courage and conviction, men who have given everything.
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March 21, 2013, is accepted as the unofficial commencement day of the Reconciliation Process.
Academic text (2017) -
Just like it's been downhill for Commencement Day speakers since Oprah came last year.
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On commencement day, graduates proudly received their diplomas in front of family and friends.
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Every year, commencement day marks a significant milestone for thousands of students graduating together.
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The university plans to celebrate commencement day outdoors to accommodate more guests this year.
Synonyms
A ceremony where students receive degrees or diplomas
A ceremony where students receive their degrees
A formal university event where graduates get their degrees and hear speeches
A formal ceremony where students receive degrees or diplomas
A ceremony where students get their diplomas
The day when a university celebrates students finishing their studies with a formal ceremony
Antonyms
How Important
- UK
- Formal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'commencement' (a formal degree-awarding event) plus 'day' (the calendar day on which it occurs). The noun + day pattern is a transparent, common construction in English and other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand the phrase.
Etymology
Commencement day comes from the word commencement, which means 'to begin'. One popular idea is that the graduation ceremony marks the students' first step into a 'new life', so the phrase now means the day when students officially start the next stage of their lives.