com·mence 
(kə-mĕns)
(kə-mĕns)v. com·menced, com·menc·ing, com·menc·es
v.tr.
To begin; start. See Synonyms at begin.
v.intr.
To enter upon or have a beginning; start.
[Middle English commencen, from Old French comencier, from Vulgar Latin *cominitiāre : Latin com-, intensive pref.; see COM- + Late Latin initiāre, to begin (from Latin initium, beginning; see ei- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]
com·mencer n.