Meaning & Definition of word "Onset"
to
Onset
/ˈɒn.sɛt/
noun:
- 1. The beginning or start of something, especially something unpleasant.
- Example: The onset of winter brought heavy snowfall and frigid temperatures.
- 2. The initial stage or commencement of a process.
- Example: The doctor noted the onset of symptoms that indicated a viral infection.
- 3. In linguistics, the initial consonant or consonants of a syllable.
- Example: In the word 'cat', the onset is the 'c' sound.
Etymology
Middle English 'onsetten', from 'on' + 'setten' (to set).
Common Phrases and Expressions
onset of winter:
the beginning of the winter season.
onset of symptoms:
the first appearance of symptoms of a disease.
onset of a problem:
the beginning or occurrence of a problem.
Related Words
commencement:
the beginning of something.
initiation:
the action of beginning or starting something.
inception:
the establishment or starting point of an institution or activity.
Slang Meanings of onset
Meaning: The starting point of a trend or phase.
Example Sentence: That party was the onset of the summer fun.
Meaning: When something starts happening unexpectedly.
Example Sentence: The onset of drama during the school year was wild.