inaugurated

Inaugurated is the past tense and past participle of the verb inaugurate. It describes the formal admission of a person to office, such as a president or mayor, or the ceremonial opening or beginning of a building, organization, program, or initiative. As a transitive verb, inaugurate takes a direct object: for example, “The president was inaugurated in January,” or “The museum was inaugurated in 2013.” In other uses, it can imply the start of a new era or period.

Etymology and history: Inaugurate derives from Latin inaugurare, from in- “in” + augurare “to foretell by auspices.” In Roman times, inauguratio referred to a religious ceremony used to designate authority or legitimacy. Over time the sense broadened beyond ritual sanction to include formal installation and the ceremonial opening of institutions and programs.

Usage notes: Inaugurate is common in formal journalism, official statements, and historical writing. Inaugurated specifically refers to a completed ceremony or installation, though it can also describe the initiation of a program or project. Related terms include the noun inauguration and the adjective inaugural. The term is widely used in political contexts as well as for nonpolitical openings, such as cultural institutions or infrastructure projects. Examples: “The city hall was inaugurated by the mayor,” and “The organization inaugurated a new program to combat poverty.”