introduction

[ in-truh-duhk-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of introducing or the state of being introduced.
2. a formal personal presentation of one person to another or others.
3. a preliminary part, as of a book, musical composition, or the like, leading up to the main part.
4. an elementary treatise:

   an introduction to botany.

5. an act or instance of inserting.
6. something introduced.

introduction

/ ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən /

noun

1. the act of introducing or fact of being introduced
2. a presentation of one person to another or others
3. a means of presenting a person to another person, group, etc, such as a letter of introduction or reference
4. a preliminary part, as of a book, speech, etc
5. music
   1. an instrumental passage preceding the entry of a soloist, choir, etc
   2. an opening passage in a movement or composition that precedes the main material
6. something that has been or is introduced, esp something that is not native to an area, country, etc
7. a basic or elementary work of instruction, reference, etc
8. logic (qualified by the name of an operation) a syntactic rule specifying the conditions under which a formula or statement containing the specified operator may be derived from others

   negation-introduction

   conjunction-introduction

Other Words From

• rein·tro·duction noun
• self-intro·duction noun
• subin·tro·duction noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of introduction¹

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

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

“With the introduction of Shops on Facebook and Instagram, the importance of Facebook as an online sales driver is likely to increase as brands need to ensure they are delivering fantastic customer experiences on social commerce platforms,” said Ma.

From Digiday

Skinner said that improper clearing could leave space for the introduction of tall non-native grasses that burn hotter, faster and higher – adding risk to catching trees alight.

From Voice of San Diego

We know that introduction of state lotteries and casinos into neighborhoods increases crime.

From Freakonomics

The only thing I can think of is maybe the introductions, and what each team is able to do, that you feel a little different.

From FiveThirtyEight

Among the most talked-about introductions have been zero-cost benefits around pay.

From Digiday

Finding the shop is a trip in itself and an introduction to a slice of history.

From The Daily Beast

On company questionnaires, many students still report the book as their introduction to RSD.

From The Daily Beast

Granted, partly this is a problem of sources the author identifies in the introduction.

From The Daily Beast

For a shorter introduction to Richardson, read Journey to Paradise: Short Stories and Autobiographical Sketches.

From The Daily Beast

Existing food shortages in the country were immediately exacerbated by the introduction of Ebola, for a variety of reasons.

From The Daily Beast

It would appear then that the year 1559 was about the period of the introduction of tobacco into Europe.

From Project Gutenberg

Its use by so distinguished a person as Raleigh was equivalent to its general introduction.

From Project Gutenberg

Labor, so it was argued, was perpetually being saved by the constant introduction of new uses of machinery.

From Project Gutenberg

“Reggie has spoken of you many times, monsieur,” said Fleurette, after the introduction had been effected.

From Project Gutenberg

Thanks to Massna's warm introduction and his own reputation, he found himself cordially received by the First Consul.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• addition
• debut
• establishment
• inauguration
• influx
• initiation
• installation
• launch
• opening
• preface
• presentation

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.

<img loading="lazy" src="https://image.slidesharecdn.com/essaystructurepresentation-091028153753-phpapp01/95/essay-writing-structure-5-728.jpg?cb=1295593559" alt="" width="728" height="546" />

Slideshare.net

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

Watch Writing INTRODUCTION Part, Essay Writing, UPSC CSE MAINS 2019, Dr Khan, KSG Indiahttps://t.co/VZmZAsZMwT

— Khan Study Group (@khanstudygroup) September 8, 2021

I find the hardest part of essay writing is getting started. Once the introduction is out of the way, things start getting a lot easier.

— Majeed Ullah (@majeed_ullah_) January 9, 2021

 

What other words are related to introduction?

• essay
• body
• conclusion
• thesis statement
• paragraph
• argument
• topic

Quiz yourself!

True or False?

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