Induction

ɪnˈdʌkʃən

nounmediumCommonBusiness

Definitions

3 meanings
1

The act or process of introducing someone to a new role or organization, or the process of bringing about a particular result or state.

ɪnˈdʌkʃən

nounneutralmedium
Business

The act or process of bringing something about or into existence.

The company held an induction program for the new employees.

💡 Simply: It's like starting something new or causing something to happen. Think about when a company *introduces* a new employee—that's induction. Or when scientists *cause* a chemical reaction.

👶 For kids: It's when you're learning about something new, like at a new school! It's also when you make something happen.

More Examples

2

The induction of the anesthetic quickly made the patient unconscious.

3

Electromagnetic induction is the process by which a changing magnetic field creates an electric field.

How It's Used

General

"The induction of new policies at the workplace requires careful planning."

Engineering

"Electromagnetic induction is used to generate electricity."

2

A process of reasoning that goes from the specific to the general, where general conclusions are drawn from specific observations or facts.

ɪnˈdʌkʃən

nounneutralAdvanced
General

Reasoning from specific instances to a general principle.

Induction is a key method in scientific research.

💡 Simply: It's like figuring out a rule by looking at examples. Like, if you see that every swan you've ever seen is white, you might *induce* that all swans are white (even if it turns out to be wrong).

👶 For kids: It's like when you see some things and then you guess what's true about all of them!

More Examples

2

Through careful observation, scientists often use induction to develop theories.

3

The detective used inductive reasoning to solve the case.

How It's Used

Philosophy

"Induction is used to formulate hypotheses based on observed data."

Science

"Scientific discoveries often rely on inductive reasoning."

Tip:Think of *inducing* a general rule from specific examples—gathering evidence to form a conclusion.
3

The process by which a changing magnetic field produces an electric current in a conductor.

ɪnˈdʌkʃən

nounneutralAdvanced
General

The process of causing electricity to flow in a wire.

Electromagnetic induction is the basis of transformers.

💡 Simply: It's like magic, but with magnets and wires! If you move a magnet near a wire, it can *cause* electricity to flow in that wire, just because of the magnetic field.

👶 For kids: It's like making electricity with a magnet and a wire!

More Examples

2

Faraday's law describes the principles of electromagnetic induction.

3

Induction is used in many electrical devices such as stoves and chargers.

How It's Used

Physics

"Electromagnetic induction is the principle behind electric generators."

Electrical Engineering

"The induction motor is widely used in industrial applications."

Tip:Imagine a magnet *inducing* electrical flow in a coil of wire.

From Latin *inductio* ("a leading in, introduction"), from *inducere* ("to lead in, introduce"), from *in-* ("in") + *ducere* ("to lead").

The term has been used in various contexts since the 17th century, evolving from its initial meaning related to 'leading in' to encompass logical and scientific processes.

Memory tip

Imagine someone leading a group *in* a new direction, bringing about a change.

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Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written