Reference articles on history, science, culture and more
Surprise meSurprise meSubscribe
Encyclopedia

Inauguration

Process of official entitlement a person into public office

Wikipedia contributorsAdapted for Fathomly · View authors
1 min read
Source updated August 21, 2026
Image credit is listed at the end of this article.

In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inaugural address by the new official.

The word inauguration stems from the Latin augur, which refers to the rituals of ancient Roman priests seeking to interpret if it was the will of the gods for a public official to be deemed worthy to assume office.

01Public office

The inaugurations of public figures, especially those of political leaders, often feature lavish ceremonies in which the figure publicly takes their oath of office (sometimes called "swearing in"), often in front of a large crowd of spectators. A monarchical inauguration may take on different forms depending on the nation: they may undergo a coronation rite or may simply be required to take an oath in the presence of a country's legislature.

The "inaugural address" is a speech given during this ceremony which informs the people of their intentions as a leader. A famous inauguration speech is John F. Kennedy's.

02Presidential inaugurations

Watch videos about InaugurationExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Inauguration”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

Images, from Wikimedia Commons:

Fathomly is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Wikimedia Foundation. Spotted a problem? Tell us.

Continue exploring

Related topics

Coronation

A coronation ceremony marks the formal investiture of a monarch with regal power using a crown. In addition to the crowning, this ceremony may include the presentation of other items of regalia, and other rituals such as the taking of special vows by the new monarch, the investing and presentation of regalia to them, and acts of homage by the new monarch's subjects.

Enthronement

An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person, usually a monarch or religious leader, being formally seated for the first time upon their throne. Enthronements may also feature as part of a larger coronation rite.

Installation (Christianity)

Installation is a Christian liturgical act that formally allows a cleric to assume the office of his appointed position at a particular place such as a cathedral. The term arises from the act of symbolically leading the prelate to their stall or throne within the cathedral or other place of worship representing the office of the position.