intro
1 Americannoun
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an introduction.
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the introductory passage of a piece for a jazz or dance band.
abbreviation
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introduce.
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introduced.
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introducing.
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introduction.
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introductory.
abbreviation
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introduction
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introductory
noun
prefix
Etymology
Origin of intro1
First recorded in 1895–1900; shortening of introduction
Origin of intro-2
< Latin, representing intrō (adv.) inwardly, within
Explanation
An intro is the opening section of a piece of music, usually before the singing begins. Often when you hear a pop song's intro, it's so familiar that you'll recognize it immediately. There are intros in popular music, as well as other musical styles, and a book or essay can have an intro as well, a few paragraphs or pages setting up the ideas to follow. Another kind of intro is when you formally present, or introduce, a person to a group or an individual. In fact, intro is a casual shorthand for introduction, from the Latin introductionem, "a leading in."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Before quickly clarifying: "Well, the intro to Talk Show Host."
From BBC • May 21, 2026
After Carpenter finished a rendition of Juno, Madonna emerged while the intro of Vogue played out and dancers struck a pose.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
Theeeese guys, whose name strangely comes from…this guy,” Harvey Guillén, the host of “Killer Stories,” said in the episode’s intro.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
“She was born under a full moon in the arms of mother nature. The jaguars taught her to run, the birds to fly,” her intro video intoned.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
I pause and rewind to the beginning, turning the iPad to myself The intro blares out again, a mix of drumming and a man’s deep voice saying something in Arabic.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.