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Origin and history of introduce

introduce(v.)

early 15c., "convey or bring (something) in or into," a back-formation from introduction or else from Latin introducere "to lead in, bring in," from intro- "inward, to the inside" (see intro-) + ducere "to lead" (from PIE root *deuk- "to lead").

Meaning "to bring forward, open to notice" (of a subject, etc.) is from 1550s. Sense of "bring into personal acquaintance, make known" (as of one person to another) is from 1650s. Related: Introduced; introducing.

also from early 15c.

Entries linking to introduce

introduction(n.)

late 14c., "act of bringing into existence," from Old French introduccion (14c.) and directly from Latin introductionem (nominative introductio) "a leading in," noun of action from past-participle stem of introducere "to lead in, bring in; introduce; found, establish; bring forward (as an assertion)," from intro- "inward, to the inside" (see intro-) + ducere "to lead" (from PIE root *deuk- "to lead").

Meanings "initial instruction in a subject" and "an introductory statement" are from mid-15c.; meaning "elementary treatise on some subject" is from 1520s. The sense of "formal presentation of one person to another" is from 1711.

introducer(n.)

1620s, agent noun from introduce (v.).

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Trends of introduce

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

More to explore

insert
"to set in, put or place in," 1520s, from Latin insertus, past participle of inserere "to graft, implant," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + serere "join together, arrange, put in a row," from PIE root *ser- (2) "to line up." Middle English had inseren "to set in place, to
enclose
enclosen, "to surround (a plot of ground, a town, a building, etc.) with walls, fences, or other barriers," early 14c., from en- (1) + close (v.), and partially from Old French enclos, past participle of enclore "surround; confine; contain." Specific sense of "to fence in waste o
inaugurate
"induct into office by formal ceremony," c. 1600, a back-formation from inauguration (q.v.) and also from Latin inauguratus, past participle of inaugurare. The etymological sense is "make a formal beginning or induction into office with suitable ceremonies" (which in ancient Rome
insinuate
1520s, "to covertly and subtly introduce into the mind or heart" (trans.), from Latin insinuatus, past participle of insinuare...Physical or literal sense of "to introduce tortuously or indirectly" is from 1640s. Related: Insinuated; insinuating....
plant
Old English plantian "put or set in the ground to grow" (transitive and intransitive), also "introduce and establish, set...Of colonies, "introduce and establish new settlers in," from c. 1300. Figuratively, of ideas, etc., from early 15c....
illative
inference," from Late Latin illativus, from Latin illatus "brought in," used as past participle of inferre "to bring in, introduce...
civilize
c. 1600, "to bring out of barbarism, introduce order and civil organization among, refine and enlighten," from French civiliser...
plug
1620s, "piece of wood or other substance, usually in the form of a peg or bottle-cork, used to stop a hole in a vessel," originally a seamen's term, probably from Dutch plug, Middle Dutch plugge "bung, stopper," related to Norwegian plugg, Danish pløg (the Scandinavian words also
pioneer
1520s, "one of a party or company of foot soldiers furnished with digging and cutting equipment who prepare the way for the army," from French pionnier "foot-soldier, military pioneer," from Old French paonier "foot-soldier" (11c.), extended form of peon (see pawn (n.2)). Figurat
initiate
"one who has been initiated" (in secret doctrines, etc.), 1732, from obsolete or archaic past-participle adjective initiate "initiated, instructed in secret knowledge" (c. 1600), from Latin initiatus (see initiate (v.))....c. 1600, "introduce to some practice or system," also "be

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