noun
Common
extraction
ihk-STRAK-shuhn
Extraction (noun) means the act or process of removing or drawing something out. Example: “Oil extraction in the region has increased sharply over the past decade.”
noun
1
The act or process of removing or drawing something out.
"Oil extraction in the region has increased sharply over the past decade."
"The extraction of juice from the fruit takes only a few minutes."
"Careful extraction of the rock sample avoided damaging the surrounding stone."
2
A person's ancestry or family origin.
"She is of Italian extraction on her mother's side."
"He is of Irish extraction, though his family has lived here for generations."
"Her grandparents were of Greek extraction and ran a small bakery."
3
The removal of a tooth.
"He needed an emergency extraction after the tooth cracked."
"After the extraction, the dentist told me to rest and avoid hot drinks."
"My sister was nervous about her wisdom tooth extraction."
How to use extraction
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe process of pulling or drawing something out — a tooth, a resource, or figuratively, one's ancestry.
Common pairings
of French extraction
tooth extraction
oil extraction
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Word forms
- Plural
- extractions
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Oil _____ in the region has increased sharply over the past decade.
Etymology
From Old French estraction, based on Medieval Latin extractio — the noun form of "drawing out."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for extraction
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for extraction →
Frequently asked questions
What does “extraction” mean?
The word “extraction” means the act or process of removing or drawing something out. In plain terms, the process of pulling or drawing something out — a tooth, a resource, or figuratively, one's ancestry.
How do you pronounce “extraction”?
“Extraction” is pronounced ihk-STRAK-shuhn (/ɪkˈstɹækʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “extraction” in a sentence?
Here is “extraction” used in a sentence: “Oil extraction in the region has increased sharply over the past decade.”
What is another word for “extraction”?
Words with a similar meaning to “extraction” include reduction.
What part of speech is “extraction”?
“Extraction” is a noun.
Where does the word “extraction” come from?
The word “extraction” comes from Medieval Latin. From Old French estraction, based on Medieval Latin extractio — the noun form of "drawing out.".
Is “extraction” a common word?
“Extraction” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “extraction” have?
“Extraction” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the act or process of removing or drawing something out.
What is the difference between extraction and reduction?
Extraction refers to the act of removing or drawing something out, such as extracting oil from the ground or data from a database. Reduction, listed as a related term, instead refers to making something smaller or less in amount, a different process entirely from pulling something out.
What does extraction mean when referring to a tooth?
A tooth extraction is the removal of a tooth, typically performed by a dentist or oral surgeon when a tooth is damaged, decayed, or causing crowding. This is a specific medical sense of the more general meaning of extraction as removing something.
What does extraction mean when referring to a person's background?
When applied to a person, extraction refers to their ancestry or family origin, as in a person of Italian extraction. This sense describes where someone's family line comes from rather than a physical act of removal.
