excerpt
C1Formal to neutral; common in academic, journalistic, and literary contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A short piece taken from a longer text, speech, or piece of music.
A selected portion or extract that represents or highlights the whole; can also refer to a clip or scene taken from a film or performance.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily refers to written or recorded material; implies a deliberate selection for presentation or analysis. Can be used as both a noun and a verb.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. The verb form 'excerpted' is slightly more common in American publishing contexts.
Connotations
Both varieties carry a formal, precise connotation. In UK academic writing, it may slightly more often refer to literary texts.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties within formal registers.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
excerpt from [something]excerpt of [something]excerpt that [clause]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A taste of things to come (related concept)”
- “The tip of the iceberg (related concept)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports or presentations to highlight a key finding from a longer document.
Academic
Common for analysing a specific passage from a primary source.
Everyday
Less common; used when discussing a preview of a book, film, or music.
Technical
Used in publishing, media production, and musicology.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The reviewer included a lengthy excerpt from the novel.
- We listened to an excerpt of the symphony in the lecture.
American English
- Read an excerpt of the new bestseller on our website.
- The film trailer showed excerpts from the most action-packed scenes.
verb
British English
- The document was heavily excerpted in the newspaper's report.
- She excerpted several key paragraphs for her essay.
American English
- The memoir was excerpted in The New Yorker last month.
- He excerpts passages and analyses them in his podcast.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Here is a short excerpt from his speech.
- The teacher played a musical excerpt.
- The article published an excerpt from the official inquiry, revealing new details.
- Her analysis focused on a key excerpt where the protagonist's motivation shifts.
- The judge's ruling excerpted extensively from the precedent, applying its logic to the novel facts of the case.
- Critics have excerpted that particular soliloquy as emblematic of the play's central thematic conflict.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: EX-CERPT = EXtract from a manusCRIPT.
Conceptual Metaphor
A SAMPLING (food), a PREVIEW (film), a REPRESENTATIVE SLICE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'выдержка' (which can mean endurance or excerpt). Use 'отрывок' or 'фрагмент' for clarity.
- The verb 'to excerpt' translates as 'делать выдержку из' or 'цитировать отрывок'.
Common Mistakes
- Pronouncing it as /ekˈsɜːrpt/ (stress on second syllable).
- Using 'excerpt' to mean a summary or paraphrase (it must be a direct copy).
- Misspelling as 'exerpt'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes an 'excerpt'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, though it is more formal. It means 'to take an excerpt from' (e.g., 'The chapter was excerpted in a magazine').
An 'excerpt' is a selected passage of any length from a text or performance. A 'quote' (quotation) is a specific phrase or sentence cited. All quotes can be excerpts, but not all excerpts are short enough to be considered simple quotes.
Yes, commonly. You can have an excerpt from a film, interview, or piece of music (e.g., 'a video excerpt', 'an audio excerpt').
Traditionally, the noun is stressed on the first syllable (/ˈeksɜːrpt/). The verb can sometimes be heard with stress on the second syllable (/ɛkˈsɜːrpt/), especially in American English, but the first-syllable stress is standard and acceptable for both.