Etymology dictionary
exploit (v.) — extrasensory (adj.)
exploit (v.)
c. 1400, espleiten, esploiten "to accomplish, achieve, fulfill," from Old French esploitier, espleiter "carry out, perform, accomplish," from esploit (see exploit (n.)). The sense of "use selfishly" first recorded 1838, from a sense development in French perhaps from use of the word with reference to mines, etc. (compare exploitation). Related: Exploited; exploiting.
exploitative (adj.)
"serving for or used in exploitation," 1882, from French exploitatif, from exploit (see exploit (n.)). Alternative exploitive (by 1859) appears to be a native formation from exploit + -ive.
exploitation (n.)
1803, "productive working" of something, a positive word among those who used it first, though regarded as a Gallicism, from French exploitation, noun of action from exploiter (see exploit (v.)). Bad sense developed 1830s-50s, in part from influence of French socialist writings (especially Saint Simon), also perhaps influenced by use of the word in U.S. anti-slavery writing; and exploitation was hurled in insult at activities it once had crowned as praise.
exploration (n.)
"act of exploring, examination, or investigation," especially for the purpose of discovery and specifically of an unknown country or part of the earth, 1540s, from French exploration and directly from Latin explorationem (nominative exploratio) "an examination," noun of action from past-participle stem of explorare "investigate, examine" (see explore). Alternative explorement is from 1640s.
explorer (n.)
1680s, agent noun from explore. Replaced earlier exploratour (mid-15c.).
explore (v.)
1580s, "to investigate, examine," a back-formation from exploration, or else from French explorer (16c.), from Latin explorare "investigate, search out, examine, explore," said to be originally a hunters' term meaning "set up a loud cry," from ex "out" (see ex-) + plorare "to weep, cry." Compare deplore. De Vaan notes modern sources that consider "the ancient explanation, ... that the verb explorare originally meant 'to scout the hunting area for game by means of shouting'" to be "not unlikely." Second element also is explained as "to make to flow," from pluere "to flow." Meaning "to go to a country or place in quest of discoveries" is first attested 1610s. Related: Explored; exploring.
exploratory (adj.)
mid-15c., "intended for exploration or scouting," from Latin exploratorius "belonging to scouts," from explorator "scout," from explorare "investigate, examine" (see explore). Alternative explorative is from 1738; explorational is from 1889.
explosion (n.)
1620s, "action of driving out with violence and noise," from French explosion, from Latin explosionem (nominative explosio) "a driving off by clapping," noun of action from past participle stem of explodere "drive out by clapping" (see explode for origin and sense evolution). Meaning "a going off with violence and noise" is from 1660s. Sense of "a rapid increase or development" is first attested 1953.
explosive (adj.)
1660s, "tending to explode," from Latin explos-, past participle stem of explodere "drive out, reject" (see explosion) + -ive. As a noun, from 1874. Related: Explosives (n.); explosively; explosiveness.
exponent (n.)
1706, from Latin exponentem (nominative exponens), present participle of exponere "put forth" (see expound). Earliest use is the mathematical one (said to have been introduced in algebra by Descartes) for the symbol placed above and to the right of another to indicate by what power the base number is to be raised. The sense of "one who expounds" is by 1812. As an adjective, "exemplifying, explicating," from 1580s.
exponential (adj.)
"of or pertaining to an exponent or exponents, involving variable exponents," 1704, from exponent + -ial. As a noun in mathematics from 1784. Related: Exponentially.
export (v.)
by 1610s, "carrying out of a place;" perhaps from late 15c., from Latin exportare "to carry out, bring out; send away, export," from ex "out, away" (see ex-) + portare "to carry," from PIE root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over." The sense of "send out (commodities) from one country to another" is first recorded in English 1660s. Related: Exported; exporting; exporter.
export (n.)
"the act of exporting; that which is exported, a commodity carried from one place or country to another for sale," 1680s, from export (v.).
expose (v.)
early 15c., "to leave without shelter or defense," from Old French esposer, exposer "lay open, set forth, speak one's mind, explain" (13c.), from Latin exponere "set forth, lay open, exhibit, reveal, publish," from ex "from, forth" (see ex-) + ponere "to put, place" (see position (n.)). Altered in French by confusion with poser "to place, lay down" (see pose (v.1)). Meaning "to exhibit openly" is from 1620s; that of "to unmask" is from 1690s. Photographic sense is from 1839. Related: Exposed; exposes; exposing.
expose (n.)
also exposé, "display of discreditable information," 1803, initially as a French word; noun use of past participle of French exposer "lay open" (see expose (v.)). Earliest use was in reference to Napoleon.
exposition (n.)
late 14c., exposicioun, "explanation, narration," from Old French esposicion "explanation, interpretation" (12c.) and directly from Latin expositionem (nominative expositio) "a setting or showing forth; narration, explanation," noun of action from past-participle stem of exponere "put forth; explain; expose," from ex "from, forth" (see ex-) + ponere "to put, place" (see position (n.)).
The meaning "public display" is attested by 1851 in reference to the Crystal Palace Exposition in London. Abbreviation Expo is recorded from 1963, in reference to planning for the world's fair held in Montreal in 1967.
expository (adj.)
"serving to explain; setting forth as an instance," 1620s, from Medieval Latin expositorius, from exposit-, past-participle stem of Latin exponere "set forth" (see expound). Earlier in English as a noun meaning "an expository treatise, commentary" (early 15c.). Related: Expositorial.
ex post facto
from Medieval Latin ex postfacto, "from what is done afterwards." From facto, ablative of factum "deed, act" (see fact). Also see ex-, post-.
expostulate (v.)
1530s, "to demand, to claim," from Latin expostulatus, past participle of expostulare "to demand urgently, remonstrate, find fault, dispute, complain of, demand the reason (for someone's conduct)," from ex "from" (see ex-) + postulare "to demand" (see postulate (v.)). Friendlier sense of "to reason earnestly (with someone) against a course of action, etc." is first recorded in English 1570s. Related: Expostulated; expostulating.
expostulation (n.)
1580s, "action of remonstrating in a friendly manner;" 1590s, "argumentative protest," from Latin expostulationem (nominative expostulatio) "a pressing demand, complaint," noun of action from past-participle stem of expostulare "demand urgently," from ex "from" (see ex-) + postulare "to demand" (see postulate (v.)).
exposure (n.)
c. 1600, "public exhibition," from expose (v.) + -ure. Sense of "situation with regard to sun or weather" is from 1660s. Photographic sense "act of exposing to light" is from 1839. Indecent exposure attested by 1825.
expound (v.)
mid-14c., expounen, expounden, "to explain or comment on, to reveal the meaning" (of Scripture, etc.), from Old French espondre "expound (on), set forth, explain," from Latin exponere "put forth, expose, exhibit; set on shore, disembark; offer, leave exposed, reveal, publish," from ex "forth" (see ex-) + ponere "to put, place" (see position (n.)); with unetymological -d developing in French (compare sound (n.1)). The usual Middle English form was expoune. General (non-theological) sense of "set forth, reveal, describe or tell" is from late 14c. Related: Expounded; expounding.
express (v.1)
late 14c., "represent in visual arts; put into words," from Old French espresser, expresser "press, squeeze out; speak one's mind" (Modern French exprimer), Medieval Latin expressare, frequentative of Latin exprimere "represent, describe, portray, imitate, translate," literally "to press out" (source also of Italian espresso); the sense evolution here perhaps is via an intermediary sense such as "clay, etc., that under pressure takes the form of an image," from ex "out" (see ex-) + pressare "to press, push," from Latin premere "to press, hold fast, cover, crowd, compress" (from PIE root *per- (4) "to strike"). Related: Expressed; expresses; expressing; expressible.
expression (n.)
early 15c., expressioun, "action of pressing out;" later "action of manifesting a feeling;" "a putting into words" (mid-15c.); from Late Latin expressionem (nominative expressio) "expression, vividness," in classical Latin "a pressing out, a projection," noun of action from past-participle stem of exprimere "represent, describe," literally "press out" (see express (v.)). Meaning "an action or creation that expresses feelings" is from 1620s. Of the face, from 1774. Occasionally the word also was used literally, for "the action of squeezing out." Related: Expressional.
expressive (adj.)
c. 1400, "tending to press out," from French expressif, from expres "clear, plain," from stem of Latin exprimere "to press out," also "to represent, describe" (see express (v.)). Meaning "full of expression" is from 1680s. Related: Expressively; expressiveness.
express (adj.)
late 14c., "stated explicitly, not implied, clearly made known" from Old French espres, expres (13c.), from Latin expressus "clearly presented, distinct, articulated precisely," past participle of exprimere (see express (v.1)). Also late 14c. as an adverb, "specially, on purpose;" it also doubled as an adverb in Old French. An express train (1841) originally was one that ran to a certain station.
express (n.)
1610s, "special messenger," from express (adj.). Sense of "business or system for sending money or parcels" is by 1794.
express (v.2)
"to send by express service," 1716, from express (n.).
expressionist (adj.)
1850 in reference to an artist who seeks to portray the emotional experience of the subject, from expression (which was used in the fine arts by 1715 with a sense "way of expressing") + -ist. Modern sense is from 1914, from expressionism (from 1908 as an artistic style or movement). As a noun from 1880. Related: Expressionistic.
expressionless (adj.)
1831, "giving no expression," from expression + -less. Shelley used it with a sense of "unexpressed" (1819).
expressly (adv.)
late 14c., "in detail, plainly," from express (adj.) + -ly (2). Meaning "for the express purpose" is c. 1600.
expresso (n.)
variant of espresso.
expressway (n.)
by 1945, American English, from express (adj.) + way (n.). Express highway is recorded by 1938.
exprobration (n.)
1520s, "act of upbraiding;" 1540s, "a reproachful utterance," from Latin exprobrationem (nominative exprobratio), noun of action from past-participle stem of exprobrare "to make a matter of reproach," from ex "out" (see ex-) + probrum "shameful deed" (see opprobrious).
expropriate (v.)
"to hold no longer as one's own, give up a claim to the exclusive property of," 1610s, back-formation from expropriation, or from earlier adjective (mid-15c.), or from Medieval Latin expropriatus, past participle of expropriare "deprive of property, deprive of one's own," from ex "away from" (see ex-) + propriare "take as one's own," from proprius "one's own" (see proper). Related: Expropriated; expropriating.
expropriation (n.)
mid-15c., "renunciation of worldly goods," from Medieval Latin expropriationem (nominative expropriatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Late Latin expropriare "deprive of property," from ex "away from" (see ex-) + propriare "take as one's own," from proprius "one's own" (see proper). Sense of "a taking of someone's property," especially for public use, is from 1848; as Weekley puts it, "Current sense of organized theft appears to have arisen among Ger. socialists."
expugn (v.)
early 15c., "eradicate, exterminate," also "conquer, capture by fighting," from Old French expugner, from Latin expugnare "to take by assault, storm, capture" (source also of Spanish expugnar, Italian espugnare), from ex (see ex-) + pugnare "to fight" (see pugnacious). Related: Expugned; expugnable.
expulsion (n.)
c. 1400, expulsioun, in medicine, "act of expelling matter from the body," from Old French expulsion or directly from Latin expulsionem (nominative expulsio), noun of action from past-participle stem of expellere "drive out" (see expel). From late 15c. as "forcible ejection, compulsory dismissal, banishment" as from a school or club.
expunction (n.)
"act of expunging or erasing, removal by erasure, a blotting out or leaving out," c. 1600, from Latin expunctionem (nominative expunctio), noun of action from past-participle stem of expungere "prick out, blot out, mark for deletion" (see expunge).
expunge (v.)
"to mark or blot out as with a pen, erase (words), obliterate," c. 1600, from Latin expungere "prick out, blot out, mark (a name on a list) for deletion" by pricking dots above or below it, literally "prick out," from ex "out" (see ex-) + pungere "to prick, pierce" (from suffixed form of PIE root *peuk- "to prick").
According to OED, taken by early lexicographers in English to "denote actual obliteration by pricking;" it adds that the sense probably was influenced by sponge (v.). Related: Expunged; expunging; expungible. In U.S. history, the Expunging Resolution was adopted by the Senate in 1837 to expunge from its journal a resolution passed by it in 1834 censuring President Jackson.
expurgate (v.)
1620s, "to purge" (in anatomy), back-formation from expurgation or from Latin expurgatus, past participle of expurgare "to cleanse out, purge, purify." Related: Expurgated; expurgating. The earlier verb was simply expurge (late 15c.), from French expurger. Meaning "remove (something offensive or erroneous) from" is from 1670s.
expurgation (n.)
early 15c., expurgacion, "a cleansing from impurity," from Latin expurgationem (nominative expurgatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of expurgare "to cleanse out, purge, purify; clear from censure, vindicate, justify," from ex "out" (see ex-) + purgare "to purge" (see purge (v.)). Sense of "a removal of objectionable passages from a literary work" is recorded in English from 1610s. Related: Expurgatory.
exquisite (adj.)
early 15c., "carefully selected," from Latin exquisitus "choice," literally "carefully sought out," from past participle stem of exquirere "search out thoroughly," from ex "out" (see ex-) + quaerere "to seek" (see query (v.)).
Originally in English of any thing (good or bad, torture and diseases as well as art) brought to a highly wrought condition, sometimes shading into disapproval. The main modern meaning, "of consummate and delightful excellence" is first attested 1579, in Lyly's "Euphues." Related: Exquisitely; exquisiteness. The noun meaning "a dandy, fop" is from 1819. Bailey's Dictionary (1727) has exquisitous "not natural, but procured by art."
exsanguinate (v.)
"render bloodless," 1827, from Latin exsanguinatus "bloodless," as if from a past participle of *exsanguinare, from ex "out" (see ex-) + sanguinem (nominative sanguis) "blood" (see sanguinary). Related: Exsanguinated; exsanguinating; exsanguination. As an adjective, exsanguine "bloodless" is attested from mid-17c. in literal and figurative use.
exsert (v.)
"to thrust forth, protrude," 1660s, biologists' variant of exert (q.v.) based on the original Latin form. Also as an adjective, "projecting beyond the surrounding parts." Related: Exsertion.
exsiccation (n.)
"act or operation of drying; evaporation of moisture," 1590s, from Late Latin exsiccationem "a drying up," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin exsiccare "dry up, make quite dry," from ex "out" (see ex-) + siccare "make dry" (see siccative).
exsiccate (v.)
"to dry, remove moisture from by evaporation or absorption," 1540s, from Latin exsiccatus, past participle of exsiccare "dry up, make quite dry," from ex "out" (see ex-) + siccare "make dry" (see siccative). Related: Exsiccated; exsiccating.
extant (adj.)
1540s, "standing out above a surface," from Latin extantem (nominative extans), present participle of extare "stand out, be visible, exist," from ex "out" (see ex-) + stare "to stand," from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm." Sense of "in existence" attested in English by 1560s. Related: Extance; extancy, both 17c., both obsolete.
extempore (adv.)
1550s, from Latin phrase ex tempore "offhand, in accordance with (the needs of) the moment," literally "out of time," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + tempore, ablative of tempus (genitive temporis) "time" (see temporal (adj.1)). Of speaking, strictly "without preparation, without time to prepare," but now often with a sense merely of "without notes or a teleprompter." As an adjective and noun from 1630s.
extemporize (v.)
1640s (implied in extemporizing), "to speak ex tempore," from extempore + -ize. Related: Extemporized.
extemporaneous (adj.)
"made, done, procured, or furnished 'at the time,'" hence "unpremeditated," 1650s, from Medieval Latin extemporaneus, from Latin ex tempore (see extempore). Earlier was extemporal (1560s); extemporanean (1620s). Related: Extemporaneously; extemporaneousness.
extemporary (adj.)
"composed or uttered without previous study or preparation," c. 1600, from extempore + -ary.
extended (adj.)
mid-15c., "occupying time, made longer," past-participle adjective from extend (v.). Meaning "stretched out" in space is from 1550s; extended-play (adj.), in reference to recordings (especially 7-inch, 45 rpm vinyl records) is from 1953; in reference to pinball games by 1943. Extended family (n.) in sociology recorded from 1942.
extender (n.)
"one who or that which extends or stretches," 1610s, agent noun from extend (v.). Middle English had extendour "surveyor, assessor."
extend (v.)
early 14c., "to value, assess," from Anglo-French estendre (late 13c.), Old French estendre "stretch out, extend, increase," transitive and intransitive (Modern French étendre), from Latin extendere "stretch out, spread out; increase, enlarge, prolong, continue," from ex "out" (see ex-) + tendere "to stretch," from PIE root *ten- "to stretch."
Original sense in English is obsolete. From late 14c. as "lengthen or extend in time," also "straighten" (an arm, wing. etc.). Meaning "make longer and/or broader in space" is from early 15c., as is intransitive sense of "cover an area, have a certain extent in space;" sense of "expand, grow distended" is from 1753. Related: Extended; extending.
extension (n.)
c. 1400, "a swelling, a bulging," from Latin extensionem/extentionem (nominative extensio/extentio) "a stretching out, extension," noun of action from past-participle stem of extendere (see extend). In a concrete sense, "extended portion of something" (a railroad, etc.), from 1852. The telephone sense is from 1906.
extensible (n.)
"capable of being extended," 1610s, from French extensible, from stem of Latin extendere "to spread out" (see extend). Earlier was extendible (late 15c.).
extensive (adj.)
"vast, far-reaching;" c. 1600 of immaterial, c. 1700 of material things; from Late Latin extensivus, from extens-, past-participle stem of Latin extendere "to stretch out, spread" (see extend). Earlier in a medical sense, "characterized by swelling" (early 15c.). Related: Extensively; extensiveness.
extensor (n.)
"muscle which serves to straighten or extend any part of the body," 1713, short for medical Latin musculus extensor, from Late Latin extensor "stretcher," agent noun from Latin extendere "spread out, spread" (see extend).
extent (n.)
c. 1300, extente, "tax levied on value; value of property for taxation," from Anglo-French extente, estente "extent, extension;" in law, "valuation of land, stretch of land," from fem. past participle of Old French extendre "extend," from Latin extendere "to spread out, spread" (see extend). Meaning "degree to which something extends" is from 1590s.
extenuate (v.)
1530s, "make thin, lean, slender, or rare; reduce in thickness or density" (the literal sense, now rare); from Latin extenuatus, past participle of extenuare "lessen, make small, reduce, diminish, detract from," from ex "out" (see ex-) + tenuare "make thin," from tenuis "thin," from PIE root *ten- "to stretch." Used over the years in a variety of literal and figurative senses in English. From 1560s as "to lessen, make smaller in degree or appearance, make less blamable, lower in importance or degree." Related: Extenuated; extenuating. Extenuating circumstances (1660s) are those which lessen the magnitude of guilt (opposed to aggravating).
extenuation (n.)
early 15c., extenuacioun, "action or process of making or becoming thin," from Latin extenuationem (nominative extenuatio) "a lessening, diminution," noun of action from past-participle stem of extenuare "lessen, reduce, diminish," from ex "out" (see ex-) + tenuare "make thin," from tenuis "thin," from PIE root *ten- "to stretch." From 1610s as "act of making less in importance or degree, a diminishing (as of blame or guilt) in fact or estimation, mitigation."
exterior (adj.)
"situated or being outside, pertaining to or connected with that which is outside," 1520s, from Latin exterior "outward, outer, exterior," comparative of exterus "on the outside, outward, outer, of another country, foreign," itself a comparative of ex "out of" (see ex-). As a noun, "outer surface or aspect" from 1590s.
exterminate (v.)
1540s, "drive away," from Latin exterminatus, past participle of exterminare "drive out, expel, put aside, drive beyond boundaries," also, in Late Latin "destroy," from phrase ex termine "beyond the boundary," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + termine, ablative of termen "boundary, limit, end" (see terminus).
Meaning "destroy utterly" is from 1640s in English, a sense found in equivalent words in French and in the Vulgate; earlier in this sense was extermine (mid-15c.). Related: Exterminated; exterminating.
extermination (n.)
mid-15c., exterminacioun, "repulsion;" 1540s, "utter destruction, eradication," from Latin exterminationem (nominative exterminatio) "ejection, banishment," noun of action from past-participle stem of exterminare "drive out, expel, put aside, drive beyond boundaries," also, in Late Latin "destroy," from phrase ex termine "beyond the boundary," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + termine, ablative of termen "boundary, limit, end" (see terminus).
exterminator (n.)
c. 1400, "an angel who expels (people from a country)," from Late Latin exterminator, from past-participle stem of Latin exterminare "drive out, expel, put aside, drive beyond boundaries," also, in Late Latin "destroy" (see exterminate). As a substance for ridding a place of rats, etc., by 1848; as a person whose job it is to do this, by 1938. Old English glossed Latin exterminator with ofdræfere ("off-driver").
extern (n.)
"outsider," c. 1600, from French externe "outer, outward;" as a noun, "a day-scholar," from Latin externus "outside," also used as a noun (see external). As an adjective in English from 1530s.
externality (n.)
1670s, "state of being external," from external + -ity. From 1839 as "that which is external." From 1833 as "undue regard for externals."
externalize (v.)
"to embody in an outward form; convey the quality of external reality upon," 1846, from external + -ize. Related: Externalized; externalizing.
externalization (n.)
"act of externalizing; fact of being externalized," 1803; see external + -ization.
external (adj.)
early 15c., "overt;" by 1590s as "situated or lying outside," from Latin externus "outside, outward" (from exterus; see exterior) + -al (1). This version won out over exterial. Related: Externally.
extinct (adj.)
early 15c., "extinguished, quenched," from Latin extinctus/exstinctus, past participle of extinguere/exstinguere "to put out, quench; go out, die out; kill, destroy" (see extinguish). Originally of fires; in reference to the condition of a family or a hereditary title that has "died out," from 1580s; of species by 1690s. Shakespeare uses it as a verb. Compare extinction.
extinction (n.)
early 15c., "annihilation," from Latin extinctionem/exstinctionem (nominative extinctio/exstinctio) "extinction, annihilation," noun of action from past-participle stem of extinguere/exstinguere "quench, wipe out" (see extinguish). Originally of fires, lights; figurative use, the wiping out of a material thing (a debt, a person, a family, etc.) from early 17c.; of species by 1784. Blount (1650s) has extinctness "quality of being extinct."
extinguish (v.)
"to put out, quench, stifle," 1540s, from Latin extinguere/exstinguere "quench, put out (what is burning); wipe out, obliterate," from ex "out" (see ex-) + stinguere "quench," apparently an evolved sense from PIE *steig- "to prick, stick, pierce" (see stick (v.)). But see distinguish (v.). Related: Extinguished; extinguishing.
extinguisher (n.)
1550s, "one who extinguishes" in any sense, agent noun from extinguish. As a mechanical device for putting out fires, from 1887.
extinguishable (adj.)
"capable of being extinguished," c. 1500; see extinguish + -able.
extirpation (n.)
early 15c., "removal;" 1520s, "rooting out, eradication," from Latin extirpationem/exstirpationem (nominative extirpatio/exstirpatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of extirpare/exstirpare "root out," from ex "out" (see ex-) + stirps (genitive stirpis) "a root, stock of a tree."
extirpate (v.)
"root up, root out," 1530s, usually figurative, from Latin extirpatus/exstirpatus, past participle of extirpare/exstirpare "root out, eradicate, pull up by the roots" (see extirpation). Related: Extirpated; extirpating; extirpable.
extol (v.)
also extoll, c. 1400, "to lift up," from Latin extollere "to place on high, raise, elevate," figuratively "to exalt, praise," from ex "up" (see ex-) + tollere "to raise," from PIE *tele- "to bear, carry," "with derivatives referring to measured weights and thence money and payment" [Watkins].
Cognates include Greek talantos "bearing, suffering," tolman "to carry, bear," telamon "broad strap for bearing something," talenton "a balance, pair of scales," Atlas "the 'Bearer' of Heaven;" Lithuanian tiltas "bridge;" Sanskrit tula "balance," tulayati "lifts up, weighs;" Latin tolerare "to bear, support," perhaps also latus "borne;" Old English þolian "to endure;" Armenian tolum "I allow." Figurative sense of "praise highly" in English is first attested c. 1500. Related: Extolled; extolling.
extoll
variant of extol.
extortion (n.)
"the act of extorting, the act or of wresting anything from a person by force, duress, menace, authority, or any undue exercise of power, oppressive or illegal exaction," c. 1300, from Latin extortionem (nominative extortio) "a twisting out, extorting," noun of action from past-participle stem of extorquere "wrench out, wrest away, to obtain by force," from ex "out" (see ex-) + torquere "to twist" (from PIE root *terkw- "to twist").
extort (v.)
1520s, "obtain by force or compulsion; wrest away by oppressive means," from Latin extortus, past participle of extorquere "obtain by force," literally "to wrench out," from ex "out" (see ex-) + torquere "to twist" (from PIE root *terkw- "to twist"). Related: Extorted; extorting. As a past-participle adjective from early 15c. Cockeram's "English Dictionarie" (1623) has extorque "to wrest from one perforce."
extortionate (adj.)
"characterized by extortion, oppressive, excessive," 1711, from extortion + -ate. Extortious is from c. 1600.
extortionist (n.)
"one who extorts something from another, or makes an extortionate demand or charge," 1824, from extortion + -ist. Earlier in the same sense were extorter (1590s), extortioner (late 14c.).
extra-
word-forming element meaning "outside; beyond the scope of; in addition to what is usual or expected," in classical Latin recorded only in extraordinarius, but more used in Medieval Latin and modern formations; it represents Latin extra (adv.) "on the outside, without, except," the old fem. ablative singular of exterus "outward, outside," comparative of ex "out of" (see ex-).
extra
1650s as a stand-alone adjective; also used as an adverb and noun in 17c. (see extra-); modern usages — including sense of "minor performer in a play" (1777) and "special edition of a newspaper" (1793) — probably all are from shortenings of extraordinary, which in 18c. was used extensively as noun and adverb in places extra would serve today. Another old word for "actor with a non-speaking part" was supernumerary.
extract (v.)
"to draw out, withdraw, take or get out, pull out or remove from a fixed position, literally or figuratively," late 15c., from Latin extractus, past participle of extrahere "draw out," from ex "out, out of" (see ex-) + trahere "to draw" (see tract (n.1)). Related: Extracted; extracting.
extraction (n.)
early 15c., "process of withdrawing or obtaining" (something, from something else), from Old French estraction "extraction, origin" (12c.) or directly from Medieval Latin extractionem (nominative extractio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin extrahere "to draw out" (see extract (v.)). Meaning "that which is extracted" is from 1590s. Meaning "descent, lineage" is from late 15c.
extract (n.)
mid-15c., "digest or summary of something which has been written at greater length," from Late Latin extractum, noun use of neuter of extractus, past participle of extrahere "to draw out" (see extract (v.)). Physical sense of "that which is extracted," especially "something drawn from a substance by distillation or other chemical process" is from 1580s.
extra-curricular (adj.)
also extracurricular, in reference to education, "pursued in addition to the normal course of study," 1911, from extra- + curricular. As a noun, "an extra-curricular course or activity," by 1957.
extradite (v.)
"to deliver or give up, as to another nation," 1864, back-formation from extradition. Related: Extradited; extraditing; extraditable.
extradition (n.)
1833, from French extradition (18c.), apparently a coinage of Voltaire's, from Latin ex "out" (see ex-) + traditionem (nominative traditio) "a delivering up, handing over," noun of action from tradere "to hand over" (see tradition).
extrajudicial (adj.)
also extra-judicial, "outside judicial proceedings, outside the ordinary course of legal procedure," 1580s (implied in extrajudicially); see extra- + judicial.
extramarital (adj.)
also extra-marital, "occurring outside marriage," by 1844, from extra- + marital.
extramural (adj.)
"situated outside or beyond the walls of," 1820, from extra- + ending from intermural.
extraneous (adj.)
"not belonging or proper to a thing; not intrinsic or essential, though attached; foreign," 1630s, from Latin extraneus "external, strange," literally "that is without, from without" (as a noun, "a stranger"), from extra "outside of" (see extra-). A doublet of strange. Related: Extraneously.
extraordinaire (adj.)
1940, from French extraordinaire (14c.), literally "extraordinary, unusual, out of the ordinary," but used colloquially as a superlative; see extraordinary, which represents an older borrowing of the same word.
extraordinary (adj.)
"being beyond or out of the common order or rule; not of the usual, customary, or regular kind," early 15c., from Latin extraordinarius "out of the common order," from extra ordinem "out of order," especially the usual order, from extra "out" (see extra-) + ordinem, accusative of ordo "row, rank, series, arrangement" (see order (n.)).
Of officials, etc., "outside of or in addition to the regular staff," often "temporarily employed for a specific purpose," from 1580s. Also from 1580s in the sense of "remarkable, uncommon, rare, wonderful." Related: Extraordinarily; extraordinariness.
extrapolation (n.)
"an approximate calculation made by inferring unknown values from trends in the known data," 1867, noun of action from extrapolate by analogy of interpolation. The original sense was "an inserting of intermediate terms in a mathematical series." The transferred sense of "drawing of a conclusion about the future based on present tendencies" is from 1889.
extrapolate (v.)
"make an approximate calculation by inferring unknown values from trends in the known data," 1862 (in a Harvard observatory account of the comet of 1858), from extra- + ending from interpolate. Said in early references to be a characteristic word of Sir George Airy (1801-1892), English mathematician and astronomer. Related: Extrapolated; extrapolating.
extrasensory (adj.)
also extra-sensory, "beyond or not involving the usual senses," 1934, coined as part of extra-sensory perception in J.B. Rhine's work, from extra- + sensory. Extrasensible (1874) was used earlier in reference to "that which is inaccessible to the senses."