Meaning & use
extractor
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Meanings
nouncountable
A machine or device that removes something, such as air, liquid, or a substance, from a place or material.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'an extractor' or 'two extractors'; it often appears in compounds like 'juice extractor' or 'air extractor'.
Patterns
- juice extractor
- air extractor
- smoke extractor
We installed a new extractor fan in the bathroom to remove steam.
This juice extractor can process a whole bag of carrots in minutes.
The industrial extractor pulls harmful fumes out of the factory air.
nouncountablecomputing
A person or tool that takes something out, especially information or a substance, from a source.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'information' or 'data' in computing contexts.
Patterns
- data extractor
- information extractor
The software acts as a data extractor, pulling numbers from web pages.
As an information extractor, she specializes in finding key facts in long reports.
Word forms
| plural | extractors |
|---|
Common combinations
- extractor fan
- The extractor fan in the kitchen keeps the air clear while cooking.
- juice extractor
- A juice extractor separates juice from pulp quickly.
- dust extractor
- A dust extractor is essential when sanding wood indoors.
- data extractor
- The data extractor converted the PDF tables into a spreadsheet.
Synonyms and how they differ
- remover
- A more general word for something that takes away a substance, but it does not suggest a machine with moving parts.
- fan
- A device that moves air, often part of an extractor, but it does not by itself remove substances.
Word family
- extract verb
- To take or pull something out.
- extraction noun
- The process of removing something.
Commonly confused: extractor or extract?
extractor vs extract
An extract is a substance taken from something (like vanilla extract), while an extractor is the device that does the taking.
Practice
Choose the best word: 'The kitchen was full of steam, so we turned on the ______ fan.'
Choose one answer.
An 'extractor fan' is a common compound noun for a fan that removes air. 'Extraction' is the process, 'extract' is the substance or verb, and 'extracting' is a verb form, so none fit before 'fan' here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “extractor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.