extradition
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
A Justice Department spokesman said the U.S. intended to seek Bishnoi’s extradition.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026
Justice Department plans to seek the extradition of Bishnoi, who has been incarcerated in India for more than a decade.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026
India's efforts to rebuild ties with Bangladesh's new government are complicated by the continued presence in Delhi of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, whose extradition Dhaka has sought.
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026
Members of the European Parliament have already written warning member states to consider suspending extradition treaties with China and that if this law targeted European citizens, it could "lead to severe consequences for EU-China relations."
From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026
At that time I hadn’t seen the suspects—just examined their possessions and arranged the extradition waivers.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
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.
