introductory

introductory — adjective

1. made or intended for someone starting a subject, activity, or service without an

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

made or intended for someone starting a subject, activity, or service without any prior experience, or offered as a special deal to attract new users

Example

Tuan signed up for an introductory Spanish course at the local college.

collocation: introductory course

The community centre offers an introductory membership at half the usual price for new residents.

collocation: introductory membership / introductory offer

Common collocations
  • introductory course
  • introductory offer
  • introductory price
  • introductory session
  • introductory workshop
  • introductory membership
  • introductory discount
  • introductory class
  • introductory level
Synonyms
  • beginner

    used for courses or classes aimed at people starting from scratch; more informal than 'introductory'

  • starter

    common in British English for things like starter kits or starter homes; suggests the very first step

  • entry-level

    focuses on the lowest level in a system, often for jobs or products rather than courses

Antonyms
  • advanced

    describes a level for experienced learners, the opposite of introductory

Grammar Patterns

introductory + noun (course / offer / price / session)

Usage Note

Only used before a noun (attributive). Common in commercial and educational contexts to describe special conditions for first-time users or learners.

Common Mistakes

I am an introductory student of French.
I am a beginner in French.
'introductory' describes the course or material, not the person studying it.

2. found in the opening pages or opening moments of a book, talk, or document, serv

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

found in the opening pages or opening moments of a book, talk, or document, serving to give context or orientation before the main content begins

Example

In the introductory chapter, the author explains why she chose to study ocean pollution.

collocation: introductory chapter

Kwame's introductory remarks lasted less than two minutes before he introduced the main speaker.

collocation: introductory remarks

Common collocations
  • introductory chapter
  • introductory remarks
  • introductory paragraph
  • introductory note
  • introductory comments
  • introductory section
  • introductory passage
  • introductory statement
Synonyms
  • opening

    general term for anything that comes first; less formal, used in everyday contexts like 'opening remarks' or 'opening scene'

  • prefatory

    formal synonym, almost exclusively used for written works; less common in everyday speech

  • preliminary

    suggests something done before the main event to prepare for it, often with a practical rather than explanatory purpose

Antonyms
  • concluding

    describes the closing part of a work, the opposite of an introductory section

Grammar Patterns

introductory + noun (chapter / remarks / paragraph / note)

Usage Note

Only used before a noun (attributive). This sense is more formal than sense 1 and appears mainly in academic and professional writing. The introductory material is always part of a larger work — it does not stand alone.

Common Mistakes

She gave an introductory speech at the wedding.
She gave a short opening speech at the wedding.
'introductory' is not a general synonym for 'opening'; it specifically refers to material that explains or sets up what follows, not just anything that comes first.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a low level of difficulty or experience, but they differ in context. 'Introductory' is the most versatile — it works for courses (introductory Spanish), products (introductory price), and memberships, always suggesting something designed for newcomers. 'Beginner' is more informal and focuses on the person: a beginner class is for students with zero knowledge. 'Starter' is common in British English for practical kits or packages (starter set, starter home) and implies the bare minimum to get going. 'Elementary' is mostly used for the simplest level of a structured subject (elementary algebra) and sounds more academic. 'Entry-level' is the standard term for jobs or product lines that require no prior experience. In everyday use, an introductory course and a beginner course are nearly the same, but an introductory offer has no direct synonym — you would not say a 'beginner offer'.

beginner ↗starter ↗elementary ↗entry-level

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • introductory level
  • introductory phase
  • introductory period

Prepositions

  • introductory to

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word comes from Latin 'introductorius', meaning 'serving to introduce', formed from 'introducere' (to lead in) — itself from 'intro-' (inward) + 'ducere' (to lead). It passed through Old French 'introductoire' before entering English in the 14th century. The two modern senses — one about beginners and one about opening material — both developed from the core idea of leading someone into something new.