extradition
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of extradition
From French, dating back to 1830–40; see origin at ex- 1, tradition
Explanation
A legal word, extradition means sending someone back to the country or state where they've been accused of a crime. Getting countries to agree on the terms of extradition can take years. It can be hard enough for lawyers in the U.S. to agree on a person's extradition from one state to another, so you can imagine how difficult it can be for officials from different countries. Extradition can have real consequences for the person being extradited. Suppose the laws there allow for the death penalty: a person accused of a capital crime would be smart to fight extradition to that place. The Latin prefix ex- means "from, out of," and trāditiōn- means "handing over," so extradition is the handing-over of someone from one jurisdiction to another.
Vocabulary lists containing extradition
This Week in Words: November 4 - 10, 2017
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The Constitution
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This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for December 19–25, 2020
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The U.S. request for Rocha’s arrest and extradition stunned Mexico’s political establishment.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
All three men gave their consent to extradition at separate hearings last October before Sheriff Julius Komorowski at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
Sheinbaum’s government has said the evidence supporting Rocha’s arrest and extradition is insufficient.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
He consistently points to an extradition law approved by his administration – in fact, the very law under which he was sent to the US for trial – as evidence.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
Most important, he had no intention of leaving Iceland, because of the threat of extradition to the United States.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
