introduction

American  

[in-truh-duhk-shuhn] / ˌɪn trəˈdʌk ʃən /

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.

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introduction British  

/ 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

   conjunction-introduction

   negation-introduction

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Usage

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.

Related Words

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 Word Forms

• reintroduction noun
• self-introduction noun
• subintroduction noun

Etymology

Origin of introduction

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

Explanation

An introduction refers to a beginning — maybe presenting someone new to a group, or inserting a new idea into a project. In a piece of writing, the introduction makes clear to the reader the text's purpose. The noun introduction comes from the Latin verb introducere, meaning "to lead in." This “leading in” might be the formal introduction of a speaker, or the speaker's own introduction to his remarks. Or it might be the insertion of a new and different idea, as in British politician Lord Hailsham's remark, "The introduction of religious passion into politics is the end of honest politics, and the introduction of politics into religion is the prostitution of true religion."

Example Sentences

Now that Apple has the foundation of a strong social-media presence branded toward a younger audience, and a successful Neo introduction, more launches are likely.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

"I experienced that myself as both a club player and a coach. The introduction of VAR has helped to level things out in Portuguese football."

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

The book’s playful interrogation of traditional gender expectations is sharpened with the introduction of 1855 Caleb, a fantasy and a nightmare, a stern, quiet man who Natalie finds both terrifying and alluring.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Zuckerberg called glasses “the ideal form factor for personal superintelligence,” during his introduction of the latest specs at the company’s Meta Connect conference last year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Allys begins her discussion with some review of the manipulation of the Bt bacterium to create pest-resistant crops, and the introduction of transgenic animals into the food supply decades ago.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson

Related Words

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