onset

[ on-set, awn- ]
/ ˈɒnˌsɛt, ˈɔn- /

noun

a beginning or start: the onset of winter.
an assault or attack: an onset of the enemy.
Phonetics. the segment of a syllable preceding the nucleus, as the gr in great. Compare coda(def 5), core1(def 14).

Origin of onset

1525–35; on + set, after the verb phrase set on

Example sentences from the Web for onset

British Dictionary definitions for onset

onset
/ (ˈɒnˌsɛt) /

noun

an attack; assault
a start; beginning

Medical definitions for onset

onset
[ ŏnsĕt′ ]

n.

A beginning; a start, as of a cold.