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extractor

American  
[ik-strak-ter] / ɪkˈstræk tər /

noun

extractors plural
  1. a person or thing that extracts.

  2. (in a firearm or cannon) the mechanism that, after firing, pulls an empty or unfired cartridge or shell case out of the chamber and brings it into place for action by the ejector.

  3. a centrifuge for spinning wet laundry so as to remove excess water.

  4. Medicine/Medical, Dentistry. an instrument for drawing out, extracting, or pulling.


extractor British  
/ ɪkˈstræktə /

noun

  1. a person or thing that extracts

  2. an instrument for pulling something out or removing tight-fitting components

  3. a device for extracting liquid from a solid, esp a centrifugal dryer

  4. short for extractor fan

  5. a fitting in many firearms for removing spent cartridges from the chamber

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of extractor

First recorded in 1605–15; extract + -or 2

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:

Use extractor fans when cooking or showering because they remove warm, moist air before it spreads through the home.

From Science Daily Jul. 29, 2026

Lhoist North America, based in Fort Worth, Texas, is an extractor, manufacturer and supplier of lime, limestone and other mineral-based products.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 29, 2026

There has been no official certification of the magnetic extractor.

From BBC Jul. 1, 2025

There was nothing else to do with the premium plants but ship them to an extractor to be mulched and reduced to generic oil.

From Seattle Times Oct. 3, 2022

We ran the warmer and caught the wax in a tin tub, then loaded the frames into the extractor and filtered the honey through brand-new nylon hose.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd

From high-pressure extractors to high-quality filters, there are more tools than ever before to protect the lungs of people working with wood.

From BBC May 11, 2026

Then there are what I would call "the hyper extractors."

From Salon Feb. 6, 2024

Toothpicks, cuticle pushers, tweezers and metal blemish extractors are the common tools that are being used to separate the shell and fragile membrane.

From Fox News Jan. 8, 2022

The rock extractors make an average of $5 per day, Mara said, and they often work in hazardous environments.

From Washington Post Sep. 7, 2021

The extractors took a break and then bulldozed their way into a third cell.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

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