introductory
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See preliminary.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of introductory
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin intrōductōrius, equivalent to Latin intrōduc-, variant stem of intrōdūcere ( see introduce) + -tōrius -tory 1
Explanation
Something introductory prefaces or explains what comes after it. An introductory paragraph at the start of your essay will sum up the ideas you plan to discuss. Introductory remarks before a speech will give some basic information about the speaker or her topic, and an introductory scene in a movie sets up the characters, time period, or setting so the story makes sense. This 17th century adjective is from the Latin word introductorius, from introducere, "to lead in," with its roots intro-, "inward," and ducere, "to lead."
Vocabulary lists containing introductory
Lessons 1–2
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Purpose
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Writing - High School
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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.
Together the introductory courses make up about 5% of the classes freshmen take, ranging from 2% at UC Irvine to 12% at UC Merced.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
And cards with a 0% introductory rate usually claim that rate is also available on balance transfers, but that’s a bit of a shell game.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
Minors aged 13 and 14 will have to ask their parents to set up "introductory" accounts on social media, AI or gaming platforms, with limited features and strict screen time use.
From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026
The researchers argue that getting foundational concepts right is important far beyond introductory chemistry courses.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
The introductory psalm to the Grace was sung together, and then Reb Saunders began the Grace.
From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
