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induction

noun
in·​duc·​tion | \ in-ˈdək-shən How to pronounce induction (audio) \

Definition of induction

1a : the act or process of inducting (as into office)
b : an initial experience : initiation
c : the formality by which a civilian is inducted into military service
2a(1) : inference of a generalized conclusion from particular instances — compare deduction sense 2a
(2) : a conclusion arrived at by induction
b : mathematical demonstration of the validity of a law concerning all the positive integers by proving that it holds for the integer 1 and that if it holds for an arbitrarily chosen positive integer k, it must hold for the integer k + 1

— called also mathematical induction

3 : a preface, prologue, or introductory scene especially of an early English play
4a : the act of bringing forward or adducing something (such as facts or particulars)
b : the act of causing or bringing on or about
c : the process by which an electrical conductor becomes electrified when near a charged body, by which a magnetizable body becomes magnetized when in a magnetic field or in the magnetic flux set up by a magnetomotive force, or by which an electromotive force is produced in a circuit by varying the magnetic field linked with the circuit
d : the inspiration of the fuel-air charge from the carburetor into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine
e : the process by which the fate of embryonic cells is determined (as by the action of adjacent cells) and morphogenetic differentiation brought about
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Examples of induction in a Sentence

Many people attended the bishop's induction. The induction ceremony was held at a banquet hall.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Long story short, inductive charging transfers energy from a charger to a receiver in the back of the phone through electromagnetic induction. — Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, "How Does Wireless Charging Work?," 1 Sep. 2019 Mawae’s induction at Canton, Ohio, as one of his era’s greatest offensive linemen touched every Arizona State player to some degree. — Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY, "Opinion: Herm Edwards brings Marvin Lewis to Arizona State to 'help me coach the coaches'," 28 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'induction.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of induction

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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More Definitions for induction

induction

noun
How to pronounce induction (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of induction

: the formal act or process of placing someone into a new job, position, government office, etc.
US : the formal act of making someone a member of the military
medical : the act of giving a pregnant woman special drugs so that she will give birth

See the full definition for induction in the English Language Learners Dictionary

induction

noun
in·​duc·​tion | \ in-ˈdək-shən How to pronounce induction (audio) \

Kids Definition of induction

1 : the act or process of placing someone in a new job or position induction into the Hall of Fame
2 : the production of an electrical or magnetic effect through the influence of a nearby magnet, electrical current, or electrically charged body

induction

noun
in·​duc·​tion | \ in-ˈdək-shən How to pronounce induction (audio) \

Medical Definition of induction

1 : the act of causing or bringing on or about induction of labor specifically : the establishment of the initial state of anesthesia often with an agent other than that used subsequently to maintain the anesthetic state
2 : the process by which an electrical conductor becomes electrified when near a charged body, by which a magnetizable body becomes magnetized when in a magnetic field or in the magnetic flux set up by a magnetomotive force, or by which an electromotive force is produced in a circuit by varying the magnetic field linked with the circuit
3a : arousal of a part or area (as of the retina) by stimulation of an adjacent part or area
b : the process by which the fate of embryonic cells is determined (as by the action of adjacent cells) and morphogenetic differentiation brought about

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