Inauguration is the formal ceremony or process of inaugurating someone into office, typically marked by an official swearing-in and the commencement of duties. It often refers to the event that inaugurates a new administration or chairperson, and can be extended to the broader act of beginning something in a ceremonious way. The term conveys official initiation and public endorsement.
"The president's inauguration drew attendees from around the world."
"A quiet ceremony followed the long period of campaigning and debate."
"The mayor's inauguration marked a new era for the city."
"Historically, inaugurations symbolized the peaceful transfer of power."
Inauguration comes from the Latin in—’in’ and augurare—’to prophesy, to foresee signs’ via Old French and Late Latin. The root augur- relates to augury (divination or omen), reflecting the sense of initiating something under auspices or omen-based approval. The word evolved from Latin ināugurātiō, then French inauguration in the medieval to early modern periods, carrying the sense of a solemn entry into office or office-taking ceremonies. In English, inauguration first appeared in the 16th–17th centuries, aligning with political ceremonies and religious rites where crowns or offices were formally assigned. Over time, its use broadened to include any formal beginning or commissioning event, not exclusively political. The term retains ceremonial weight, implying legitimacy, public endorsement, and a defined start date for duties or roles. Modern usage frequently anchors the word to presidential or governmental transitions, while still applying to institutional openings or formal beginnings in various fields.
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Words that rhyme with "Inauguration"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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US: /ˌɪ.nɔːɡ.jəˈreɪ.ʃn̩/ or /ˌɪ.nɔː.ɡjəˈreɪ.ʃən/ with primary stress on the third syllable, i-nau-GU-ra-tion.UK: /ˌɪ.nɔːˈɡjʊəˈreɪ.ʃən/; AU: /ˌɪ.nɔːˈɡjʊəˈreɪ.ʃən/ similar to UK. Key is the -gju- sequence and the final -tion often reduced to -ʃn̩ or -ʃən. Start with a light short i, move to a clear “naw” or “now” in the second syllable, attach a jə sound before re, then final -tion with a light schwa for natural rhythm. IPA: US /ˌɪ.nɔː.ɡjəˈreɪ.ʃn̩/.”
Common mistakes: over-stressing the final -tion and flattening the -gju- into a simple gj sound. Another error is skipping the schwa in unstressed syllables, producing /ɪnɔɡjərˈeɪʃən/ instead of /ˌɪ.nɔː.ɡjəˈreɪ.ʃən/. Correction: practice the -gjə- as a linked glide /ɡjə/ and keep the final -tion as /ʃən/ or a syllabic /n̩/ depending on speed. Use slow repetition with the correct IPA to stabilize rhythm.”
US tends to pronounce the second vowel more openly and maintain syllable-timed rhythm with a strong third-syllable primary stress: /ˌɪ.nɔː.ɡjəˈreɪ.ʃn̩/. UK often emphasizes /ˌɪˈnɔː.ɡjʊəˈreɪ.ʃən/ with a tighter /jʊə/ sequence and a possibly longer second syllable. Australian tends to reduce vowels slightly and maintain /ɡjəˈreɪ.ʃən/ with less rhoticity and a more centralized final syllable in rapid speech. In all, the /ɡj/ cluster is a key region; ensure you don’t turn it into /ɡ/ or /dj/ and keep final -tion as /ʃn̩/ or /ʃən/ depending on speed.”
Two main challenges: the /ɡj/ cluster after the nasal V and the dense multisyllabic rhythm. The sequence /ɡjə/ can drift into /ɡə/ or /dʒə/ for some speakers. The final -ation tends to be reduced; avoid conflating with /ˈɪnɒɡjʊˈreɪʃən/. Focus on holding a short /ɪ/ at the start, a full /ɔː/ in /nɔː/, a crisp /ɡjə/ and a clear /ˈreɪ.ʃən/ or /ˈreɪ.ʃn̩/ at the end. Slow, precise practice helps anchor the rhythm.”
Tip: treat -gu- as a small diphthong sequence /ɡjə/ rather than two separate consonants, and place primary stress on the third syllable while keeping the final -tion softly released. Visualize the word as i-nau-GU-ra-tion, with a crisp /ɡjə/ blend that’s lightly voiced. Use a short, relaxed jaw for the first syllable, then widen the mouth for /nɔː.ɡjə/ before the final /ˈreɪ.ʃən/.”
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