induce

Induce is a verb with several related senses centered on bringing about a result or deriving a conclusion. In general usage, to induce means to cause something to occur or to lead someone or something toward a particular state or outcome. The word derives from the Latin inducere, meaning “to lead in” or “to bring on.”

In medicine, to induce commonly refers to initiating a process that would not occur spontaneously, such as inducing labor or inducing anesthesia or sleep. Medical induction is typically undertaken to achieve a desired clinical outcome and may involve pharmacological or other interventions.

In science and engineering, induction refers to processes that generate a consequence through interaction rather than direct action. In physics, electromagnetic induction is the production of an electric current or voltage in a conductor by changing magnetic flux. This concept underpins devices such as transformers and electric generators. The term also appears in broader contexts, such as induced voltages or currents arising from varying magnetic or electric fields.

In mathematics and logic, induced describes objects obtained by restricting a larger structure to a substructure. Examples include induced subgraphs, induced representations, or induced maps. The induction principle, including mathematical induction, is a method of proof used to establish cases across integers or other well-ordered sets.

In philosophy, linguistics, and computer science, inductive reasoning and inductive learning refer to deriving general rules from observed data or experiences, as opposed to deductive reasoning from fixed premises.

See also inducement, inducible, induction.