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inaugurate

in·au·gu·rateUK /ɪˈnɔːɡjʊ.ɹeɪt/verb

inaugurate is spelled I-N-A-U-G-U-R-A-T-E: 10 letters and 4 syllables (in·au·gu·rate). It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 48,775th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, inaugurate means “To induct (someone) into a dignity or office with a formal ceremony” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in inaugurate?

Letters10: I-N-A-U-G-U-R-A-T-E
Syllables4: in·au·gu·rate
In writingabout once in every 3 million words; the 48,775th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is inaugurate?

Inaugurate appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 48,775th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce inaugurate?

  • UK /ɪˈnɔːɡjʊ.ɹeɪt/
  • UK /-ɡjə-/
  • British /ɪˈnoːɡjə.ɹɛjt/

As an adjective (“Inducted into a dignity or office with a formal ceremony or…”): /ɪˈnɔːɡjʊ.ɹət/, /ɪˈnɔ.ɡjə.ɹet/, /ɪˈnɔ.ɡə.ɹet/.

Inaugurate has 4 syllables, split in·au·gu·rate in writing.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-inaugurate.wav, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-inaugurate2.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of inaugurate

  • inaugurates present, singular, he/she/it
  • inaugurating participle, present
  • inaugurated participle, past, singular, he/she/it, plural

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does inaugurate mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

verb

  1. 1

    To induct (someone) into a dignity or office with a formal ceremony.

  2. 2

    To dedicate (a building, monument, etc.) for public use by a formal ceremony.

  3. 3

    To initiate or usher in (something, as a (significant) course of action, development, organization, or period of time) with a formal ceremony or in a ceremonious manner; also (loosely), to begin or commence (something); to start.

  4. 4

    archaicrareTo cause (something) to be auspicious or good-omened; also, to declare or make (something) holy; to consecrate, to sanctify.

adjective

  1. 1

    obsoleteInducted into a dignity or office with a formal ceremony or in a ceremonious manner; inaugurated.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Inaugurate in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchinaugurer (to induct (someone) into a dignity or office…)
Germaneinführen (to induct (someone) into a dignity or office…), vereidigen (to dedicate (something) for public access or…)
Portugueseempossar, investir (to induct (someone) into a dignity or office…), inaugurar (to dedicate (something) for public access or…)
Spanishinvestir (to induct (someone) into a dignity or office…), inaugurar (to dedicate (something) for public access or…)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

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