extract
EHKST-rakt
Extract (verb) means to pull or draw something out, often with effort or force. Example: “He used pliers to extract the rusty nail from the plank.”
verb
1
To pull or draw something out, often with effort or force.
"He used pliers to extract the rusty nail from the plank."
"The dentist had to extract two of her wisdom teeth."
"Investigators extracted a confession after hours of questioning."
noun
1
A short passage taken from a longer piece of writing, speech, or recording.
"The newspaper printed an extract from the minister's long speech."
"Read the short extract below and answer the three questions."
"The teacher read an extract from the novel before the class discussion."
2
A concentrated substance obtained by drawing out the essential part of something.
"This shampoo contains an extract of green tea leaves."
"Add a drop of almond extract to the mixture."
"A teaspoon of vanilla extract gives the cake its flavour."
How to use extract
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo pull something out (a tooth, information, a quote), or a concentrated substance/passage taken from something bigger.
Common pairings
extract information
extract a tooth
vanilla extract
an extract from the book
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Word forms
- Plural
- extracts
- Third person singular
- extracts
- Past tense
- extracted, extraught
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He used pliers to _____ the rusty nail from the plank.
Etymology
From Latin extrahere, "to drag out" — from ex- ("out") + trahere ("to drag"), the same root behind "traction" and "tractor."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “extract” mean?
The word “extract” means to pull or draw something out, often with effort or force. In plain terms, to pull something out (a tooth, information, a quote), or a concentrated substance/passage taken from something bigger.
How do you pronounce “extract”?
“Extract” is pronounced EHKST-rakt (/ˈɛkstɹækt/ in IPA).
How do you use “extract” in a sentence?
Here is “extract” used in a sentence: “The dentist had to extract two of her wisdom teeth.”
What part of speech is “extract”?
Depending on how it is used, “extract” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “extract” come from?
The word “extract” comes from Latin. From Latin extrahere, "to drag out" — from ex- ("out") + trahere ("to drag"), the same root behind "traction" and "tractor.".
Is “extract” a common word?
“Extract” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “extract” have?
“Extract” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to pull or draw something out, often with effort or force.
What is the difference between an extract and an excerpt?
Both words name a short passage taken from a longer piece of writing, speech, or recording, and in that sense they are largely interchangeable. Extract also has other meanings — a concentrated substance, or the verb meaning to pull something out — while excerpt is limited to quoted passages.
Where is the stress in extract as a noun and as a verb?
The noun is stressed on the first syllable — EX-tract — as in "an extract from the novel." The verb is stressed on the second syllable — ex-TRACT — as in "to extract a tooth." This stress shift follows the same noun–verb pattern as record, permit, and present.
What is the difference between extract and remove?
To extract something is to pull or draw it out from inside something else, often with effort, force, or care, as in extracting a tooth or extracting information. Remove is more general and simply means to take something away, with no suggestion that it was embedded or hard to get out.
What is the difference between vanilla extract and vanilla essence?
Vanilla extract is a concentrated substance obtained by drawing the flavor out of real vanilla beans, usually into alcohol. Products labeled vanilla essence are often weaker or artificially flavored imitations, though how the two labels are used varies by country.
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