INTRODUCTORY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does introductory mean? 

• INTRODUCTORY (adjective)
  The adjective INTRODUCTORY has 3 senses:

1. serving to open or begin

2. serving as a base or starting point

3. serving as an introduction or preface

  Familiarity information: INTRODUCTORY used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INTRODUCTORY (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Serving to open or begin

Context example:

began the slide show with some introductory remarks

Similar:

opening (first or beginning)

Derivation:

introduce (furnish with a preface or introduction)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Serving as a base or starting point

Synonyms:

basic; introductory

Context example:

an introductory art course

Similar:

first (preceding all others in time or space or degree)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Serving as an introduction or preface

Synonyms:

introductory; prefatorial; prefatory

Similar:

preceding (existing or coming before)

Derivation:

introduce (furnish with a preface or introduction)

 Context examples 

The introductory page of a website; its navigational starting point.

(Home Page, NCI Thesaurus)

“Johnson,” Wolf Larsen said, with an air of dismissing all that had gone before as introductory to the main business in hand, “I understand you’re not quite satisfied with those oilskins?”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

As this sounded mysterious to the children, and moreover was like the beginning of a favourite story Agnes used to tell them, introductory to the arrival of a wicked old Fairy in a cloak who hated everybody, it produced some commotion.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I returned to my book—Bewick's History of British Birds: the letterpress thereof I cared little for, generally speaking; and yet there were certain introductory pages that, child as I was, I could not pass quite as a blank.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

The words in these introductory pages connected themselves with the succeeding vignettes, and gave significance to the rock standing up alone in a sea of billow and spray; to the broken boat stranded on a desolate coast; to the cold and ghastly moon glancing through bars of cloud at a wreck just sinking.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)