Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
inauguration
See main entry: inaugurate
inaugurate
in‧au‧gu‧rate /ɪˈnɔːɡjəreɪt, ɪˈnɔːɡjʊreɪt $ -ˈnɒː-/ verb [transitive]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: past participle of inaugurare, from augurare ( ⇒ augur); because the ceremony involved looking at signs of what might happen in the future]
1. to hold an official ceremony when someone starts doing an important job in government
inaugurate somebody as something
On 8 January 1959 de Gaulle was inaugurated as First President of the Fifth Republic.
2. to open a building or start an organization, event etc for the first time:
The Turner Prize was inaugurated in 1984.
3. formal if an event inaugurates an important change or period of time, it comes at the beginning of it:
The International Trade Agreement inaugurated a period of high economic growth.
—inauguration /ɪˌnɔːɡjəˈreɪʃən, ɪˌnɔːɡjʊˈreɪʃən $ ɪˌnɒː-/ noun [uncountable and countable]:
President Hoover’s inauguration
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
inauguration
in·aug·ur·ation [inauguration inaugurations] [ɪˌnɔːɡjəˈreɪʃn] ; [ɪˌnɔːɡjəˈreɪʃn] noun uncountable, countable
• the President's inauguration
• an inauguration speech
Main entry: inauguratederived
inaugurate
in·aug·ur·ate [inaugurate inaugurates inaugurated inaugurating] [ɪˈnɔːɡjəreɪt] [ɪˈnɔːɡjəreɪt] verb
1. ~ sb (as sth) | ~ sb + noun to introduce a new public official or leader at a special ceremony
• He will be inaugurated (as) President in January.
2. ~ sth to officially open a building or start an organization with a special ceremony
• The new theatre was inaugurated by the mayor.
3. ~ sth (formal) to introduce a new development or an important change
• The moon landing inaugurated a new era in space exploration.
• People hoped that the new government would inaugurate a period of change.
Derived Word: inauguration
Verb forms:
Word Origin:
late 16th cent.: from Latin inaugurat- ‘interpreted as omens (from the flight of birds)’, based on augurare ‘to augur’.
Example Bank:
• The assembly was formally inaugurated on in December.
• She will be inaugurated (as) president in January.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
inaugurationnoun [ C or U ]
UK /ɪˌnɔːɡjəˈreɪʃən/ US
the act of putting a service, system, etc. into action, or an occasion when thishappens:
On Friday the company celebrated the inauguration of their latest North Sea installation.
the act of putting someone into an official position with a ceremony, or an occasion when this happens:
presidential inauguration