extract

[ verb ik-strakt ek-strakt; noun ek-strakt ]

verb (used with object)

1. to get, pull, or draw out, usually with special effort, skill, or force:

   to extract a tooth.

2. to deduce (a doctrine, principle, interpretation, etc.):

   He extracted a completely personal meaning from what was said.

3. to derive or obtain (pleasure, comfort, etc.) from a particular source:

   He extracted satisfaction from the success of his sons.

4. to take or copy out (matter), as from a book.
5. to make excerpts from (a book, pamphlet, etc.).
6. to extort (information, money, etc.):

   to extract a secret from someone.

   Synonyms: elicit, educe, evoke

7. to separate or obtain (a juice, ingredient, etc.) from a mixture by pressure, distillation, treatment with solvents, or the like.

   Synonyms: distill, withdraw

8. Mathematics.
   1. to determine (the root of a quantity that has a single root).
   2. to determine (a root of a quantity that has multiple roots).

noun

1. something extracted.
2. a passage taken from a book, article, etc.; excerpt; quotation.

   Synonyms: selection, citation

3. a solution or preparation containing the active principles of a drug, plant juice, or the like; concentrated solution:

   vanilla extract.

   Synonyms: distillation, decoction

4. a solid, viscid, or liquid substance extracted from a plant, drug, or the like, containing its essence in concentrated form:

   beef extract.

extract

verb

1. to withdraw, pull out, or uproot by force
2. to remove or separate
3. to derive (pleasure, information, etc) from some source or situation
4. to deduce or develop (a doctrine, policy, etc)
5. informal.
   to extort (money, etc)
6. to obtain (a substance) from a mixture or material by a chemical or physical process, such as digestion, distillation, the action of a solvent, or mechanical separation
7. to cut out or copy out (an article, passage, quotation, etc) from a publication
8. to determine the value of (the root of a number)

noun

1. something extracted, such as a part or passage from a book, speech, etc
2. a preparation containing the active principle or concentrated essence of a material

   yeast extract

   beef extract

3. pharmacol a solution of plant or animal tissue containing the active principle

Usage

Extract is sometimes wrongly used where extricate would be better: he will find it difficult extricating (not extracting ) himself from this situation

Derived Forms

• exˈtractable, adjective
• exˌtractaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• ex·tracta·ble ex·tracti·ble adjective
• ex·tracta·bili·ty ex·tracti·bili·ty noun
• nonex·tracta·ble adjective
• nonex·tracted adjective
• nonex·tracti·ble adjective
• over·ex·tract verb (used with object)
• preex·tract verb (used with object)
• unex·tracta·ble adjective
• unex·tracted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of extract¹

First recorded in 1475–1500; from Latin extractus (past participle of extrahere ). See ex- ¹, tract ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of extract¹

C15: from Latin extractus drawn forth, from extrahere, from trahere to drag

Synonym Study

Extract, exact, extort, wrest imply using force to remove something. To extract is to draw forth something as by pulling, importuning, or the like: to extract a confession by torture. To exact is to impose a penalty, or to obtain by force or authority, something to which one lays claim: to exact payment. To extort is to wring something by intimidation or threats from an unwilling person: to extort money by threats of blackmail. To wrest is to take by force or violence in spite of active resistance: The courageous minority wrested power from their oppressors.

Example Sentences

Whatever the putative rationale, there are only two ways to extract even $10 billion in savings from Medicaid: Strip benefits from the program, or throw enrollees out.

From Los Angeles Times

I suppose this was my way of extracting some purpose from a personal tragedy.

From BBC

Thanks to analysis of the chlorine isotopes3 contained in salt extracted from the Mediterranean seabed, scientists have been able to identify the two phases of this extreme evaporation event.

From Science Daily

It is is seeking to extract a greater share of income from foreign operators in the sector.

From BBC

Wright is the founder and CEO of Liberty Energy, which serves companies extracting oil and gas from shale fields in a process known as “fracking”.

From BBC

Related Words

• cull
• derive
• distill
• elicit
• exact
• extort
• extricate
• glean
• obtain
• pluck
• pry
• pull
• reap
• separate
• siphon
• squeeze
• withdraw
• wrest
• wring