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extractio

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word extractio

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
4th century AD, Chiron
Ultimate origin
Latin extrahō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin extraho
Latin extractio

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɛkˈstrak.ti.oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ekˈstrak.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

extractiō f (genitive extractiōnis); third declension[1] Medieval spellings include ⟨extraccio⟩ and ⟨extraxio⟩.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin extrahō (“to draw out”) + -tiō.[1][4][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first source is Chiron, who writes of the drawing of blood.[4][2]

Semantic evolution

In Late Latin it meant the drawing up or out of something: a scholiast on Statius uses it of the calling up of the shade of Laius, the chapter headings of Luke in a Vulgate manuscript of an ass or an ox pulled out of a well, and a Latin Hippocrates of the drawing off of blood, bile and phlegm.[4]

Medieval Latin used it widely:[5][6] for pulling out a sword, a tooth or an arrow, for blood-letting, for removing a dead fetus,[5][7][3] for the extraction of roots in arithmetic, and for separating substances in alchemy.[5][6][3] In legal and financial records it was the export of goods, the drawing out of documents or the obtaining of letters from a chancery, a copy or extract, and a subtraction in accounts.[5][6][7][3] Tinctoris uses it in music for taking one voice of a new piece from the notes of an existing one.[8] English extraction was taken in the early 15th century, from Old French or directly from Medieval Latin.[9]

Timeline

  • 4th century AD – Chiron uses it of the drawing of blood.[4][2]
  • 1259 – A record from Gascony uses it of clearing land.[6]
  • 1268 – An imperial document speaks of the export of food out of the kingdom.[5]
  • 1275 – William of Saliceto uses it of drawing out an arrow.[5][2]
  • early 15th century – English borrows extraction.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Late Latin) A drawing out or up, extraction; the drawing of blood.[4][5][6]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Removal, taking away.[10][5][6]
  3. (Medieval Latin, mathematics) The extraction of a root; subtraction.[5][6][3]
  4. (Medieval Latin, alchemy) Separation of a substance; an extract.[5][6]
  5. (Medieval Latin, law) Export of goods.[5]
  6. (Medieval Latin) The obtaining or issuing of documents; a copy, extract of a record.[7][6][3]
  7. (Medieval Latin, music) The taking of one voice from the notes of an existing piece.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  3. ^ a b c d e f Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
  4. ^ a b c d e Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  7. ^ a b c Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
  8. ^ a b Lexicon musicum Latinum medii aevi (1992–), Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften; online ed. Wörterbuchnetz
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  10. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
Cite this entry

“Extractio.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/extractio. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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