extradite

verb

ex·​tra·​dite ˈek-strə-ˌdīt How to pronounce extradite (audio)
extradited; extraditing

transitive verb

1
: to deliver up to extradition
2
: to obtain the extradition of

Did you know?

Extradite and its related noun extradition are both ultimately Latin in origin: their source is tradition-, tradition, meaning “the act of handing over.” (The word tradition, though centuries older, has the same source; consider tradition as something handed over from one generation to the next.) While extradition and extradite are of 19th century vintage, the U.S. Constitution, written in 1787, addresses the idea in Article IV: “A person charged in any State with treason, felony, or other crime, who shall flee from justice, and be found in another State, shall on demand of the executive authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having jurisdiction of the crime.”

Examples of extradite in a Sentence

He will be extradited from the U.S. to Canada to face criminal charges there. The prisoner was extradited across state lines.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Between the bans on Russian flights through European and North American airspace and his vulnerability to being handcuffed and extradited by more than half the world’s nations—those that have joined the ICC—Putin’s world, and his freedom of movement, are shrinking. Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025 He was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania six weeks after the murders and extradited to Idaho. David Matthews, New York Daily News, 2 July 2025 The former Washington State University doctoral student was arrested in Pennsylvania on December 30, 2022, and later extradited to Idaho to face trial. Hannah Parry jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025 Prosecutors will seek to extradite him to the San Luis Valley, the district attorney’s office said. Katie Langford, Denver Post, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for extradite

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from extradition

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of extradite was in 1864

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Extradite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extradite. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

extradite

verb
ex·​tra·​dite ˈek-strə-ˌdīt How to pronounce extradite (audio)
extradited; extraditing
: to cause to be delivered by extradition
extraditable
-ˌdīt-ə-bəl
adjective

Legal Definition

extradite

transitive verb
ex·​tra·​dite ˈek-strə-ˌdīt How to pronounce extradite (audio)
extradited; extraditing
1
: to deliver up to extradition
2
: to obtain the extradition of
extraditability
ˌek-strə-ˌdī-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē
noun
extraditable adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on extradite

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!