estratto

Estratto is an Italian noun with two broad senses. It can refer to a substance obtained by removing one or more components from a larger source (an extract or botanical extract), or to a short portion taken from a longer text (an excerpt).

In literature and publishing, an estratto is a passage selected from a broader work. It is used to illustrate or quote a text without presenting the full content. This sense is common in catalogs, bibliographies, or scholarly references when referring to parts of novels, articles, or reports.

In science, pharmacology, and food production, an estratto denotes a preparation obtained by extraction, usually with a solvent. Plant extracts are widespread and may be described as estratto secco (dry extract), estratto fluido (fluid extract), or estratto glicerico (glyceric extract). Flavorings such as estratto di vaniglia (vanilla extract) are common examples.

In administrative and everyday language, estratto can mean an abstract or summarized portion of a document. Phrases like estratto di nascita (birth extract) or estratto conto (bank statement) show its use to convey essential information without the full document.

Etymology traces estratto to Latin extractus, from extrahere, meaning to draw out. The term is closely related to essenza or aroma in flavor contexts, but estratto typically emphasizes the substantive product of extraction rather than the raw material or scent alone.