Meaning & use
extractors
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“extractors” is a form of “extractor”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
Machines, fans or devices that pull something out, such as air, smoke, juice or dust, from a place or material.
Grammar: Plural of extractor: kitchen extractors remove cooking smells.
Patterns
- extractors for something
The restaurant installed powerful extractors above the stoves.
Bathroom extractors clear steam quickly after a shower.
Honey extractors spin the combs to release the honey.
nounpluralcomputing
Programs or tools that pull specific information or files out of larger sources, such as text, data or compressed archives.
Grammar: Plural of extractor: data extractors pick out names and dates.
Patterns
- extractors for something
The team built extractors to pull prices from product pages.
Audio extractors separate the sound from a video file.
Some archive extractors can open several file formats.
nounpluralbusiness
People or companies that take materials, especially minerals, oil or resources, out of the ground.
Grammar: Often used in the plural for industries: oil extractors.
Patterns
- extractors of something
Mineral extractors must follow strict environmental rules.
The region's extractors have been drilling for decades.
Small extractors sell their ore to larger refiners.
Word forms
| singular | extractor |
|---|
Common combinations
- extractor fan
- Switch on the extractor fans before frying fish.
- juice extractors
- Juice extractors squeeze fruit and separate the pulp.
- data extractors
- Data extractors collect figures from many websites.
- install extractors
- The builders will install extractors in every kitchen.
- industrial extractors
- Industrial extractors remove dust from the factory.
Synonyms and how they differ
- vents
- Vents are simple openings for air to pass through, while extractors actively pull it out.
- scrapers
- Scrapers collect data from websites and are narrower than data extractors in general.
- miners
- Miners dig minerals, but resource extractors can also drill for oil or gas.
- pullers
- Pullers is a plain, general word and is rarely used in technical contexts.
Opposites
Word family
- extract verb
- to take something out
- extraction noun
- the process of taking something out
- extractive adjective
- relating to removing resources from the earth
- extract noun
- a concentrated substance taken from something, or a short passage
Commonly confused: extractors or extruders? extractors or extractors vs. extracts?
extractors vs extruders
Extruders push material through a shaped opening, while extractors pull something out.
extractors vs extractors vs. extracts
Extracts are the things taken out or short passages, whereas extractors are the tools or people that take them.
Practice
The cooks switched on the ___ to clear the smoke from the kitchen.
Choose one answer.
Extractors draw smoke and air out of a space. Projectors, collectors and reactors do not do that job.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “extractors”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.