kəˈmɛnsmənt ˌɡɹædʒuˈeɪʃən ˌɡɹædjuˈeɪʃən ˈɒf.sɛt ˈɑf.sɛt the act of starting something he was responsible for the beginning of negotiations an academic exercise in which diplomas are conferred the time at which something is supposed to begin they got an early start she knew from the get-go that he was the man for her