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introduction

[ in-truh-duhk-shuhn ]
/ ˌɪn trəˈdʌk ʃən /
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noun
the act of introducing or the state of being introduced.
a formal personal presentation of one person to another or others.
a preliminary part, as of a book, musical composition, or the like, leading up to the main part.
an elementary treatise: an introduction to botany.
an act or instance of inserting.
something introduced.
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Origin of introduction

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English introduccion, from Latin intrōductiōn- (stem of intrōductiō ). See introduce, -tion

synonym study for introduction

3. Introduction, foreword, preface refer to material given at the front of a book to explain or introduce it to the reader. A foreword is part of the front matter and is usually written by someone other than the author, often an authority on the subject of the book. A preface is the author's own statement, and often includes acknowledgments. It follows the foreword (if there is one) and is also part of the front matter. The introduction is always by the author. It may be extensive and is usually printed as part of the text.

OTHER WORDS FROM introduction

re·in·tro·duc·tion, nounself-in·tro·duc·tion, nounsub·in·tro·duc·tion, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT INTRODUCTION

What is an introduction?

The introduction is the first section of an essay. It presents, or introduces, the essay topic and includes a thesis statement.

Students are usually taught to write an essay in three parts, with the first part being the introduction, followed by the body and ending with a conclusion.

The introduction is often considered to be the most important part of the essay because it summarizes the essay’s topic and introduces the thesis statement. The thesis statement presents the specific argument the essay will make or the main point the reader should take away.

Outside of essays, introductions are also used in articles, opinion pieces, blog posts, research papers, and other types of writing to entice someone into reading the whole piece.

Why is introduction important?

The first records of the word introduction come around 1350. It ultimately comes from the Latin intrōdūcere, meaning “to lead inside.” In terms of an essay, the introduction presents the reader with the essay topic, inviting them “inside” the essay to learn more.

Teachers often tell students that an introduction should be only as long as it needs to be to do its job, which you might find frustrating and vague. A good introduction begins with a sentence that will interest the reader and entice them to read the rest of the essay, often called a hook. The hook can be an unexpected question, a shocking sentence, an interesting statistic, a powerful quote, or many other possibilities.

After the hook, you’ll want to include sentences that talk about the main points of your essay or that provide a small amount of background information a reader might need. The introduction should not go into detail about any of the points you’ll make in the body of the essay.

You’ll also include a thesis statement in your introduction, often as the last sentence. For student essays, the thesis statement usually answers the question asked by the writing prompt or presents their position on a debate or situation.

Did you know … ?

The introduction can be the hardest part of an essay to write because you have to know what you will say in the essay. When a writer is struggling with their introduction, they sometimes find that writing it after they write the body of the essay is easier.

What are real-life examples of introduction?

This slide gives a quick summary of some elements of a good introduction.

Many students struggle to write good introductions, and it’s often the first thing they write for an essay.

 

What other words are related to introduction?

Quiz yourself!

True or False?

The introduction is the most important part of the essay because it contains the thesis statement.

How to use introduction in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for introduction

introduction
/ (ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən) /

noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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