excerpt

American  

[ek-surpt, ik-surpt] / ˈɛk sɜrpt, ɪkˈsɜrpt /

noun

1. a passage or quotation taken or selected from a book, document, film, or the like; extract.

   Synonyms:

   part, section, portion, selection

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verb (used with object)

excerpts, present (3rd person singular) excerpted, past participle, past excerpting present participle

1. to take or select (a passage) from a book, film, or the like; extract.

2. to take or select passages from (a book, film, or the like); abridge by choosing representative sections.

excerpt British  

noun

1. a part or passage taken from a book, speech, play, etc, and considered on its own; extract

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verb

1. (tr) to take (a part or passage) from a book, speech, play, etc

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• excerption
  noun
• excerpter
  noun
• excerptible
  adjective
• unexcerpted
  adjective
• excerptor
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has excerpted
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have excerpted
  perfect
• has been excerpting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is excerpting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am excerpting
  progressive 1st person singular
• excerpting
  participle
• have been excerpting
  perfect progressive
• are excerpting
  progressive
• excerpts
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had excerpted
  perfect
• were excerpting
  progressive plural
• excerpted
  participle
• excerpted
  simple
• was excerpting
  progressive singular
• had been excerpting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will excerpt
  simple
• will have excerpted
  perfect
• will be excerpting
  progressive
• will have been excerpting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of excerpt

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin excerptus “picked out,” past participle of excerpere “to pick out, pluck out,” from ex- ex- ¹ + -cerpere, combining form of carpere “to pluck”

Explanation

Instead of sharing all 147 lines of your favorite poem in class, you might want to read an excerpt, that is, just a part of the verses, so no one dozes off. Excerpt sounds a lot like "except" with an added "r," and it came into English in the 16th century from a Latin word meaning "plucked out." When the word is used as a verb, excerpt means to take a portion out, usually from a play, book, article, song, or other written work. And the part that is taken out also is called an excerpt, but it is a noun, that is, a thing. An excerpt is something you excerpt, or pluck out, from a larger piece.

Example Sentences

National Prayer Breakfast, as highlighted in the excerpt above.

From Salon • May 29, 2026

In an exclusive book excerpt, the former Journal columnist explains how new technology could improve the odds for women like herself who have an elevated risk of cancer.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

Each tile plays a short excerpt and the full title can be accessed on the Audible app.

From Barron's • May 2, 2026

Listed in alphabetical order, with an excerpt from their survey responses:

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Here's an excerpt: I’m so incredibly proud of you.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

Related Words

• extract
• fragment
• passage
• piece
• portion
• quotation
• selection