redaction

noun

re·​dac·​tion ri-ˈdak-shən 

1

: an act or instance of redacting something

2

: a work that has been redacted : edition, version

redactional

ri-ˈdak-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

Did you know?

Here's a quiz for all you etymology buffs. Can you pick the words from the following list that come from the same Latin root?

A. redaction B. prodigal C. agent D. essay
E. navigate F. ambiguous

If you guessed all of them, you are right. Now, for bonus points, name the Latin root that they all have in common. If you knew that it is the verb agere, meaning to "to drive, lead, act, or do," you get an A+. Redaction is from the Latin verb redigere ("to bring back" or "to reduce"), which was formed by adding the prefix red- (meaning "back") to agere. Some other agere offspring include act, agenda, cogent, litigate, chasten, agile, and transact.

Examples of redaction in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Attorney General Pam Bondi is required to provide to Congress a summary of redactions made and legal justifications for withholding information. —James Powel, USA Today, 21 Nov. 2025

Critics worry that releasing vehicle data could expose sensitive details without strong safeguards or redactions. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Nov. 2025

Any redactions must be explained in notices to Congress. —Stefan Becket, CBS News, 18 Nov. 2025

However, the law allows for temporary withholding of information tied to ongoing investigations and for redactions to protect privacy. —Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French rédaction, from Late Latin redaction-, redactio act of reducing, compressing, from Latin redigere to bring back, reduce, from re-, red- re- + agere to lead — more at agent

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for redaction

• abstraction
• attraction
• compaction
• contraction
• detraction
• diffraction
• distraction
• exaction
• extraction
• impaction
• inaction
• infraction

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