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.
The Gold Pig is unassuming, with a plain white-tiled façade and rows of tables with metal grills and extractor fans to suction up the oily air. Thessaly La Force, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2025 My esthetician used gadgets like a facial massager and pore extractor, and gave me personalized recommendations for my skin. Claudia Fisher, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2025 Crude materials go from extractors to refiners, and finally to wholesale customers, typically connected via third parties. Benjamin Adams, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 After buying 500 vaporizers from China and THC oil from a California extractor, Stiiizy started selling in the unlicensed days right before California opened its recreational market. Will Yakowicz, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Extractor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extractor. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on extractor

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