English Reference

Word

extradition

Phoneticsex·tra·di·tion

US/ˌɛkstɹəˈdɪʃən/

UK/ˌɛkstɹədˈɪʃən/

Definition

n. the legal process of sending a person back to another country to face a trial or punishment. It usually happens when someone is accused of a crime in one country but is caught in another.

n. the formal process by which one state surrenders an individual to another state for prosecution or punishment for a criminal offence. Often governed by bilateral or multilateral treaties.

Examples

“The government requested his extradition to face trial.”

“Lawyers for the suspect are fighting the extradition request, arguing that their client will not receive a fair trial in his home country.”

“The treaty outlines specific crimes that warrant extradition, ensuring that political offences are excluded from the mandatory surrender of individuals between the two sovereign nations.”

Examples

simple

“The government requested his extradition to face trial.”

contextual

“Lawyers for the suspect are fighting the extradition request, arguing that their client will not receive a fair trial in his home country.”

complex

“The treaty outlines specific crimes that warrant extradition, ensuring that political offences are excluded from the mandatory surrender of individuals between the two sovereign nations.”

Usage

Often used in the phrase 'extradition treaty' or 'extradition request'. Uncountable when referring to the general legal concept; countable when referring to a specific instance or case.

Real-World Examples

“In that case, a Polish judge refused a German extradition request, arguing that if Ukraine was responsible for the attack, then it was a "just" act.”
BBC News · 19 Aug 2026
“Then two years ago he publicly distanced himself from controversial influencer Andrew Tate, who is currently fighting extradition to the UK on charges including rape and offences related to sex trafficking.”
BBC News · 19 Aug 2026
“Berlin will seek his extradition to face trial at the federal court in Karlsruhe, in Germany.”
The Guardian · 19 Aug 2026
“Minnesota’s attorney general is suing the governor of Texas to force the extradition of a federal agent charged with shooting and wounding a man during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.”
Al Jazeera · 18 Aug 2026

Etymology

From French extradition, itself from Latin ex- + traditio.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domain

Law

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference