extrusion
n. C / Un. the process of forcing a material through a small opening to create a specific shape. You see this when making pasta or plastic pipes.
n. the process of forcing a material through a shaped opening to create a continuous profile. Often used in manufacturing and geology to describe the formation of structures.
The factory uses extrusion to make long plastic pipes.
The geologist explained that the volcanic extrusion of lava created the unique rock formations visible along the coast.
Advanced manufacturing techniques allow for the extrusion of complex geometries that were previously impossible to achieve with traditional casting methods.
Mid-16th century from Latin extrūdere, from ex- (“out”) + trūdere (“to thrust”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 28, 2026