Literary or formal term for the beginning of something, often used in set phrases or classical contexts. In modern Japanese, 始まり or 開始 are more common.
開始 is a formal but modern term for 'start' or 'commencement', used in official contexts, whereas 緒 is more classical.
Etymology
The kanji 緒 originally referred to the end of a thread or cord, and by extension came to mean the beginning or origin of something. The reading しょ is the standard on'yomi, while ちょ is a less common variant.
