inauguration

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Formal induction into office.
2. n. A formal beginning or introduction.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act of inaugurating or inducting into office with solemnity; ceremonial investiture with office.
2. n. The act of solemnly or formally introducing or setting in motion anything of importance or dignity; a definite beginning or initiation: as, the inauguration of a new era or a new system.
3. n. A ceremonial or formal introduction or opening, as of something intended for public use: as, the inauguration of a monument or an exhibition. [Among the ancient Romans the act of inauguration (not expressed by inauguratio, but by a circumlocution with the verb) consisted in the consultation of the auspices by the augurs, and sometimes by other priests, to ascertain the will of the gods with reference to the induction of men into office or to any proposed public measure or proceeding. If the signs were deemed favorable, the declaration of that fact completed the inauguration.]

Wiktionary

1. n. The act of inaugurating, or inducting into office with solemnity; investiture by appropriate ceremonies.
2. n. The formal beginning or initiation of any movement, course of action, etc.; as, the inauguration of a new system, a new condition, etc.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act of inuagurating, or inducting into office with solemnity; investiture by appropriate ceremonies.
2. n. The formal beginning or initiation of any movement, course of action, etc.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the ceremonial induction into a position
2. n. the act of starting a new operation or practice