process of reversing data compression, a.k.a. decompression The process of choosing elements from a source document, in linguistics Other uses in science and technology Root extraction, in mathematics, the computation of a nth root Extraction (chemistry), the separation of a substance from a matrix Extraction (firearms), the act of removing a spent cartridge from the chamber of a firearm. Fragrance extraction, the process of obtaining fragrant oils and compounds from raw materials Resource extraction, the process of locating, acquiring and selling any resource Petroleum extraction, the process of recovering petroleum from the ground Ancestry or origin of a person