extraction
Americannoun
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an act or instance of extracting.
the extraction of a molar.
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the state or fact of being extracted.
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descent or lineage.
to be of foreign extraction.
noun
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the act of extracting or the condition of being extracted
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something extracted; an extract
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the act or an instance of extracting a tooth or teeth
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a tooth or teeth extracted
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origin, descent, lineage, or ancestry
of German extraction
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of extraction
1375–1425; late Middle English extraccioun < Late Latin extractiōn- (stem of extractiō ). See extract, -ion
Explanation
Extraction is the action of removing something. For example, when the dentist yanks out your rotten tooth, the extraction is complete! In addition to this wince-inducing meaning, the noun extraction is the process of separating out something from a chemical mixture or compound. Take decaffeinated coffee — the caffeine is removed by extraction, so you've got science to thank for not being jittery after breakfast. Extraction can also refer to your family background. If you are of Greek extraction, for example, your family history can be traced back to Greece.
Vocabulary lists containing extraction
Smile
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A Streetcar Named Desire
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South America - Middle School
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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.
Jobs connected to mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction also saw strong wage growth, according to the analysis.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
A working base would allow sustained scientific research, the testing of technology bound for future Mars missions, and the eventual extraction of lunar resources.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
“It’s more about greed. It’s more about wealth extraction than anything else.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
And on top of that: fishing, boating, mineral extraction, and protection from underground toxins that could blanket Utah’s most heavily populated area and drive everyone away—not just from Box Elder, but from the state altogether.
From Slate • Jun. 1, 2026
Homer pretended he was of Italian extraction when it suited him and let his questioners sit with their bewilderment.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
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.
