extractor

noun

ex·​trac·​tor ik-ˈstrak-tər 

: 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

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

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

Rhymes for extractor

• attractor
• cofactor
• compactor
• contactor
• contractor
• distractor
• impactor
• protractor
• reactor
• redactor
• refractor
• retractor

Medical Definition

extractor

noun

ex·​trac·​tor ik-ˈstrak-tər  ˈek-ˌstrak- 

1

: an instrument used in extraction (as of a tooth)

2

: an apparatus for extracting substances by means of solvents