extraction
UK: ɪkˈstrækʃən | US: ɪkˈstrækʃən
n. the act or process of removing or obtaining something, especially by force or effort
n. (chemistry) the separation of a substance from a mixture
n. (dentistry) the removal of a tooth
The word "extraction" derives from Latin extractio, formed from ex- (out) and tractus (past participle of trahere, meaning "to pull"). The morpheme tract appears in many English words (e.g., "tractor," "attract") and consistently conveys the idea of pulling or drawing. Over time, "extraction" evolved to broadly signify the act of removing or obtaining something, whether physically (e.g., pulling a tooth) or chemically (isolating a substance).
The extraction of minerals from the earth requires heavy machinery.
Dentists perform tooth extractions when decay is severe.
The lab focuses on the extraction of essential oils from plants.
Data extraction from large databases can be time-consuming.
The extraction process yielded a pure form of the compound.