extractor

noun

ex·​trac·​tor ik-ˈstrak-tər How to pronounce extractor (audio)
: one that extracts
especially : the mechanism in a firearm that dislodges a spent cartridge from the chamber

Examples of extractor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
China, for example, shifted from a net provider of finance to a net extractor over the last decade. — Masood Ahmed, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026 Plan for additional bench space for the optional-but-essential Studio Wash+Cure station ($199) and VOC extractor ($179), plus a clear area for handling wet prints. — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026 Martin uses a color extractor to remove existing dye, then bleaches the hair (except the gray roots) to get it as light as possible. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Sep. 2026 On a chemical level, alcohol is a very effective and relatively inexpensive extractor of flavor; water is simply unable to do the same job. — Esther Tseng, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for extractor

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin extractōr-, extractor "drawer out, miner," from Latin extrac-, variant stem of extrahere "to pull out, draw forth" + -tōr-, -tor, agent suffix — more at extract entry 1

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of extractor was in 1597

Rhymes for extractor

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Browse Nearby Words

extract oneself
extractor
extract printing
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Cite this Entry

“Extractor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extractor. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Medical Definition

extractor

noun
ex·​trac·​tor ik-ˈstrak-tər How to pronounce extractor (audio) ˈek-ˌstrak- How to pronounce extractor (audio)
1
: an instrument used in extraction (as of a tooth)
2
: an apparatus for extracting substances by means of solvents
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