induction

induction — noun

1. a formal ceremony at which a person becomes an official member of a group, organ

1.nounB2
Definition

a formal ceremony at which a person becomes an official member of a group, organization, or position.

Example

João's induction into the Hall of Fame was attended by hundreds of cheering fans.

induction into + group/position

The mayor gave a speech at the induction ceremony for the new fire chief.

collocation: induction ceremony

Common collocations
  • induction ceremony
  • induction into
  • formal induction
  • induction service
Synonyms
  • initiation

    less formal and often implies a ritual within a smaller group rather than a public ceremony

  • installation

    focuses on putting someone into an official position, often a political or religious role

  • investiture

    very formal; usually involves handing over symbols of authority like a robe or a medal

Grammar Patterns

induction + into + organization/group/position

Usage Note

Commonly paired with 'into' to specify the group or position (e.g. induction into the army, induction into the Hall of Fame).

Common Mistakes

She went to his induction for joining the club.
She went to his induction into the club.
Use 'into,' not 'for joining,' after 'induction.'

2. a period of time during which a person who has just joined a company or organiza

2.nounB2
Definition

a period of time during which a person who has just joined a company or organization learns about how it works, its rules, and its people.

Example

All new employees complete a two-week induction before they start their real jobs.

collocation: two-week induction

Darius found the induction programme helpful because it explained the office systems clearly.

collocation: induction programme

Common collocations
  • induction programme
  • induction course
  • induction day
  • induction training
  • induction session
Synonyms
  • orientation

    the standard term in American English; 'induction' sounds more British

  • onboarding

    modern business term covering the entire process of integrating a new hire, not just the training period

Grammar Patterns

induction + noun (programme/course/day)

Usage Note

Much more common in British English than American English. In the US, 'orientation' is the usual term for this concept.

Common Mistakes

I had an induction of the company.
I had a company induction.
Use 'induction' as an attributive noun or with 'for/to,' not 'of.'

3. the act of deliberately making a process or event begin, especially the medical

3.nounC1
Definition

the act of deliberately making a process or event begin, especially the medical procedure of starting a woman's labor using drugs.

Example

The doctor recommended induction of labor because the baby was two weeks overdue.

collocation: induction of labor

Élise studied the effects of drug induction on sleep patterns in hospital patients.

Common collocations
  • induction of labor
  • induction of sleep
  • medical induction
  • chemical induction
Synonyms
  • initiation

    gentler and broader; does not carry the medical connotation of 'induction'

  • triggering

    more informal and suggests a quick, direct cause rather than a deliberate medical process

Antonyms
  • prevention

    an act that stops something from happening rather than making it begin

Grammar Patterns

induction + of + process/event

Usage Note

When used without qualification in a medical context, 'induction' most commonly refers to inducing labor. In general contexts, specify the process (e.g. 'induction of sleep,' 'induction of vomiting').

Common Mistakes

The induction was performed on the mother.
The induction of labor was performed.
Clarify what is being induced; 'induction' alone may be unclear in a medical context.

4. a way of thinking that starts with specific facts or examples and reaches a gene

4.nounC1
Definition

a way of thinking that starts with specific facts or examples and reaches a general rule or principle based on them.

Example

Through induction, scientists learned that heavy objects fall at the same speed regardless of weight.

prepositional phrase: through induction

Induction and deduction are two basic methods of reasoning used in philosophy and science.

Common collocations
  • by induction
  • induction and deduction
  • inductive reasoning
  • method of induction
Synonyms
  • inference

    broader term that covers both induction and deduction; refers to any conclusion reached from evidence

  • generalization

    less formal; describes the result of induction rather than the method itself

Antonyms
  • deduction

    reasoning from a general principle to a specific case — the opposite direction of logical movement

Grammar Patterns

by induction

induction + from + specific instances

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (ceremony) and sense 5 (electricity) — this sense belongs to formal reasoning. In academic writing, 'induction' is often paired with 'deduction' as the two broad categories of logical inference.

Common Mistakes

Using induction, I went from a general rule to a specific fact.
Using deduction, I went from a general rule to a specific fact.
Induction moves from specific to general; deduction moves from general to specific.

5. a physical phenomenon in which an electric current or magnetic effect appears in

5.nounC1
Definition

a physical phenomenon in which an electric current or magnetic effect appears in an object because a second object is near it, without any direct contact between them.

Example

Wireless phone chargers use electromagnetic induction to transfer power across a short gap.

collocation: electromagnetic induction

Michael Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction in the early nineteenth century.

Common collocations
  • electromagnetic induction
  • magnetic induction
  • induction coil
  • induction motor
  • principle of induction

Grammar Patterns

electromagnetic induction

magnetic induction

Usage Note

Frequently modified by 'electromagnetic' or 'magnetic' to distinguish this scientific concept from other meanings of the word. The verb form is 'induce' (e.g. 'a moving magnet induces a current').

Common Mistakes

Induction happens when two objects touch.
Induction happens when two objects are close but do NOT touch.
The defining feature of induction is contactless transfer.

6. a method of cooking that uses an electromagnetic field produced by coils under t

6.nounB2
Definition

a method of cooking that uses an electromagnetic field produced by coils under the surface to heat pots and pans directly, without a flame or heated ring.

Example

Eshe replaced her old gas stove with an induction cooktop that uses less energy.

collocation: induction cooktop

You need special pans made of magnetic metal for induction cooking to work properly.

Common collocations
  • induction hob
  • induction cooktop
  • induction cooking
  • induction stove
  • induction pan

Grammar Patterns

induction + cooking/hob/cooktop

Usage Note

This sense is a practical application of electromagnetic induction (sense 5). In British English, the flat cooking surface is called an 'induction hob'; in American English it is called an 'induction cooktop.'

Common Mistakes

You can use any pan on an induction hob.
You must use pans made of magnetic metal for an induction hob to work.
Regular aluminium or glass pans will not heat on an induction cooktop.

Word family

  • induct
    verbC1
  • inductive
    adjectiveC1
  • inductee
    nounC2
  • inductor
    nounC2
  • induce
    verbB2
  • inducement
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe the formal start of a position or membership, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Initiation' is the broadest and can be quite informal — a club may initiate new members with a simple handshake. 'Installation' focuses on placing someone into an official role, especially a religious or political position (e.g. the installation of a new bishop). 'Investiture' is the most formal and ceremonial of the group, often involving the handing over of physical symbols such as a robe or medal. 'Inauguration' is reserved specifically for the start of a major public office, most famously the US presidential inauguration. For everyday workplace or club membership, 'induction' (the British term) or 'initiation' are the most natural choices. For example: 'João's induction into the Hall of Fame drew a large crowd,' but 'The president's inauguration was held on the steps of the Capitol.'

initiationinstallationinvestitureinauguration

Common collocations

Nouns

  • ceremony
  • programme
  • course
  • period
  • process
  • hob
  • cooktop
  • coil
  • labor

Adverbs

  • formally

Phrases

  • induction and deduction

Prepositions

  • into

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'inductio' (a leading into), based on 'inducere' (to lead in). The word entered English in the 1300s with the general sense of 'introduction' and later developed specialized meanings: logical reasoning (1400s), medical triggering (1800s), and electromagnetic phenomena (1800s, following Faraday's discoveries). The cooking sense emerged in the late 1900s as a practical application of electromagnetic induction.