extraction
ek-STRAK-shun
/ɪkˈstrækʃən/
The action of taking out something, especially using effort or force.
In this context, it usually refers to mining minerals or pulling precious metals out of old electronics.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'extrahere,' where 'ex-' means 'out' and 'trahere' means 'to pull.' It’s the same root that gives us 'tractor' (something that pulls) and 'attract' (to pull toward).
Word relationships
- removal: Removal is a general term; extraction implies a more technical or forceful process.
- insertion: The action of putting something into something else.
Commonly confused with
- excavation: Excavation is the act of digging something up; extraction is the act of pulling something out.
Word family
- extract (verb): To remove or take out.
- extractive (adjective): Relating to extraction.
Collocations
- mineral extraction
- resource extraction
- data extraction
Idioms & expressions
- like pulling teeth (extraction)
Example sentences
- "The extraction of rare earth elements for smartphones often causes significant environmental degradation." Mining and environment.
- "New technologies allow for the efficient extraction of gold and silver from discarded circuit boards." Resource recovery.
Memory hook
Think of a 'tractor' pulling a tooth 'out'—that's an extraction. Pulling out.
When not to use
Don't use it for simply picking something up; it implies a process of separation or removal from a source.
Fun facts
- Extracting gold from e-waste can be 13 times cheaper than mining it from the ground.
Related words
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