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

Georges also granted all parties 60 days to submit redactions to more evidentiary findings to be released. —Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 9 Apr. 2026

Democrats and some Republicans lambasted the Justice Department for inconsistencies in the redactions of names and information found in the millions of pages of files. —Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026

Douglas County Combined Courts Clerk Andi Truett said her office only released one version, with redactions matching those in The Denver Post’s original copy. —Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026

Hazing findings heavily redacted In years past, the university has responded to open records requests by furnishing investigative documents related to hazing findings with minimal redactions. —Matthew Kelly april 6, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026

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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