onset
onset Lexical Profile
onset Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The beginning or initial stage of something, especially something unpleasant, severe, or destructive such as a medical condition or harsh weather.
"Early detection and treatment can significantly slow the onset of the disease."
A forceful physical attack or military assault.
"The ancient stone fortifications withstood the fierce onset of the invading forces."
In phonetics and phonology, the initial consonant or consonant cluster of a syllable that precedes the vowel or syllabic nucleus.
"In the English word 'spring', the three-consonant cluster 'spr' forms the syllable onset."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'onset' with 'outset': while 'outset' refers neutrally to the beginning of a planned enterprise or period (as in 'from the outset'), 'onset' typically refers to the sudden start of something unpleasant, such as a disease, bad weather, or old age.
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the early 16th century as a compound of 'on' and 'set', originally denoting a violent assault or physical attack before broadening to mean the initial stage of an undesirable condition.