To introduce means to bring something or someone into a situation for the first time. When you introduce a new friend to your parents, you're helping them meet each other by saying their names and maybe sharing something about each person. When a teacher introduces a new topic in class, she's presenting it to students who haven't studied it before.

A scientist might introduce a new idea in a research paper. A chef might introduce an unusual ingredient into a traditional recipe. Countries sometimes introduce new laws. Companies introduce new products to customers.

An introduction is the act of introducing, or the opening section of a book, speech, or essay where the author presents the main ideas. When you write an introductory paragraph, you're giving readers their first glimpse of what's coming.

The word also describes bringing something new to a place where it didn't exist before. Europeans introduced horses to the Americas in the 1500s. Gardeners might introduce ladybugs to control aphids. Sometimes these introductions work well, but introducing non-native species to an ecosystem can cause serious problems if they spread out of control.