Word
beginning
Phoneticsbe·gin·ning, stress on the second syllable
US/bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/
UK/bɪɡˈɪnɪŋ/
Definitions
01the first part
A1 · Beginner Countable noun
n. the first part of a story, a book, or a period of time.
n. the initial portion of a temporal sequence or a physical object.
“The beginning of the movie was much more exciting than the ending.”
“At the beginning of the fiscal year, the department outlines its primary objectives and allocates resources accordingly.”
Pitfall
In the beginning of the movie, I was bored.
At the beginning of the movie, I was bored.
Use 'at the beginning of' for a specific point in time. 'In the beginning' is usually used alone to mean 'at first' or 'long ago'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02origin or source
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the place or time where something first started.
n. the origin, source, or first cause of a phenomenon or state of being.
“Scientists are still studying the beginning of the universe.”
“Historians often debate the true beginning of the conflict, looking for the specific political shifts that triggered the initial violence.”
03starting level
B1 · Intermediate Informal
adj. describing the first or simplest level of something.
adj. relating to the initial stage of a process or a basic level of proficiency.
“This is a beginning course for people who have never used a computer.”
“The curriculum is designed for beginning students, focusing on foundational concepts before moving toward more complex theoretical frameworks.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “beginning” in context.
Etymology
From Middle English biginning, beginninge, beginnunge, equivalent to begin + -ing.
From Middle English begynnyng, bygynnynge, From Old English beginnende (attested only as Old English onginnende), from Proto-Germanic biginnandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *biginnaną (“to begin”), equivalent to begin + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/beginning