excerpt

American  

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

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 British  

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

Other Word Forms

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

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”

Example Sentences

He reads excerpts from his book, as do various locals, who are too polite to roll their eyes.

From The Wall Street Journal

A Cabinet Office source said: "The fact that selective excerpts are now being resurfaced, almost a decade on, to substantiate vexatious anonymous briefings from disgruntled individuals is frankly unconscionable."

From BBC

This interview was excerpted from Artists in Space by Mr. Wash, available for pre-order on Feb. 16.

From Los Angeles Times

The reason: an excerpt from their music was officially released at the end of 1989 and therefore did not fully fit the '90s theme.

From Barron's

Travis largely keeps his own counsel except when he scrawls in his journal, excerpts from which Mr. De Niro reads in voiceover.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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