begin
UK[bɪˈɡɪn]US[bɪˈɡɪn]
v
To start doing something; to take the first step in a process.
v
To come into existence; to have its starting point.
Etymology
The verb "begin" originates from the Old English beginnan, meaning "to begin, attempt, undertake." This Old English term is a compound, formed from the intensive prefix be- and the verb ginnan, an archaic word meaning "to open, begin," which is akin to Old High German biginnan. The core Germanic root ginnan is thought to derive from the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root ghend-, meaning "to seize, take." The semantic journey from "to seize" to "to begin" is logical, as beginning an action is conceptually akin to taking hold of it. Over time, the compound fused into an inseparable lexical unit, losing its transparent morphological structure while retaining the core sense of initiating action.
Analysis
The word "begin" is a simplex word of Germanic origin. It is not productively formed from separable morphemes in modern English.
Examples
The concert will begin at eight o'clock.
Let's begin the meeting by reviewing the agenda.
His problems began when he changed jobs.