Intro is short for “introduction,” the beginning part of something that helps you understand what's coming next. When you read the intro to a book, you learn what the story will be about or why the author wrote it. A teacher might give a brief intro to a new math topic before diving into the lesson.

In music, the intro is those first few seconds before the singing starts. You probably recognize your favorite songs just from their intros: maybe it's a distinctive guitar riff, a drum beat, or a few piano notes. Some intros are so famous they've become as important as the songs themselves.

The word can also be a verb. If you intro someone at a party, you're introducing them to new people, helping them feel welcome and make connections. A conference host might intro a speaker by sharing interesting facts about their background and accomplishments.

Whether it's the beginning of a speech, a song, or a book chapter, an intro's job is to grab your attention and prepare you for what's ahead. A good intro makes you want to keep listening, reading, or paying attention.