Etymograph

English

introduce

Introduce comes from Middle English introducen, from Old French introduire, from Latin intrōdūcō ‘to lead in’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEintrōdūcō1‘to lead in’
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400introduire1
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500introducen1
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1937introduce1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English introduce
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1937, China. Hsing chen yüan. Hsin wen chü, Communications: “In conformity with the decision of the Ministry of…”.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEintrōdūcōWiktionary, English introduce‘to lead in’
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400introduireWiktionary, English introduce
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500introducenWiktionary, English introduce
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1937introduceWiktionary, English introduce. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1937, China. Hsing chen yüan. Hsin wen chü, Communications: “In conformity with the decision of the Ministry of…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *dewk- ‘to pull, to draw’

team, education, touch, production, tie, toy, product, duke, conduct, reduce, reduction, produce, tow, educate, tighten, tug, dolphin, tying, duchess, conn, tuck, induction, educator, douche, deduction, duct, doge, herzog, tether, conducive, taut, subdue, induce, seduce, cond, duchy, redux, tew, redoubt, duc, 126 more

through Proto-Indo-European *h₁en ‘in’

inner, 1 more

through Proto-Indo-European *h₁énteros ‘inner, what is inside’

enter, interior, entrance, introversion, 15 more

Today it means

verb To cause (someone) to be acquainted (with someone else).

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “introduce”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Latin intrōdūcō / introduce

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