extradition
Americannoun
-
extraditions
plural
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Constitution
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for December 19–25, 2020
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
According to Sheinbaum, U.S. authorities have not provided their Mexican counterparts with sufficient evidence to warrant the governor’s detention or extradition to the United States.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
In April, he pleaded not guilty in a Florida court, following his extradition from Arkansas, and posted a $600,000 bond.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
While lawyers for the Tates acknowledged that bail in international extradition proceedings was unusual, they said the brothers had shown no reason to think they plan to evade criminal prosecution.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
The Irish government put a major diplomatic effort into negotiating an extradition treaty with the UAE, which was signed in 2024.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Most important, he had no intention of leaving Iceland, because of the threat of extradition to the United States.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
These are not extraditions, because these folks are not being sought by El Salvador on any charges there, and certainly have not gone through any extradition process.
From Slate ● Apr. 8, 2025
Months later, the British government enacted policies that “made similar extraditions extremely difficult,” according to the Nelson Hackett Project, a digital work of public scholarship helmed by the University of Arkansas Humanities Center.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 17, 2023
In Peru, all extraditions must be approved by the president.
From Washington Times ● May 11, 2023
CPS guidance states that extraditions should only be used where it is "clearly appropriate and proportionate".
From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2023
A year earlier, a bill in Hong Kong that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China had set off months of protests.
From New York Times ● Feb. 5, 2023
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.
