excerpt

[ noun ek-surpt; verb ik-surpt, ek-surpt ]

noun

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

   Synonyms: part, section, portion, selection

verb (used with object)

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

noun

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

verb

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

Derived Forms

• exˈcerption, noun
• exˈcerptor, noun
• exˈcerptible, adjective

Other Words From

• ex·cerpter ex·cerptor noun
• ex·cerpti·ble adjective
• ex·cerption noun
• unex·cerpted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of excerpt¹

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of excerpt¹

C17: from Latin excerptum, literally: (something) picked out, from excerpere to select, from carpere to pluck

Example Sentences

You can find excerpts below, or listen to the full interview on the show’s podcast feed.

From Ozy

During the event, the Arizona Daily Star and ProPublica presented excerpts in both original text and plain language.

From ProPublica

You can find a selection of excerpts below, or listen to the full interview on the show’s podcast feed.

From Ozy

An excerpt from our interview, lightly edited for length and clarity, follows.

From Vox

This is an excerpt from The Washington Post political newsletter The Daily 202.

From Washington Post

At that same conference in D.C. where she met Saa, Gurira performed an excerpt from Eclipsed.

From The Daily Beast

The following excerpt is printed here with the permission of the University Press of Kentucky.

From The Daily Beast

Here, an excerpt from a new book that details her path to revenge and its unintended aftermath.

From The Daily Beast

In an excerpt from his autobiography, he describes the reaction.

From The Daily Beast

In an excerpt from 'What We Won,' the story of Abdul Rashid Dostum.

From The Daily Beast

This not very complex proposition may read like an excerpt from a French grammar, but it is the epitome of the whole argument.

From Project Gutenberg

Jacobi Fabri Stapulensis conclusiones phisic, &c. ex Aristotele excerpt.

From Project Gutenberg

From her long melodious lamentation we give one continuous excerpt here.

From Project Gutenberg

Reading it as an excerpt indeed one need hardly wish to see beyond the form or material figure.

From Project Gutenberg

The excerpt printed last was written at the time when she professed to entertain both beliefs.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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