What does extradited mean?
"Extradited" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "extradite," meaning that a person has been formally surrendered by one state or country to another so that they may be prosecuted, tried, or punished there for a criminal offence. The process is governed by treaties and courts: a requested state reviews the case before handing the individual over, which is why extradition often involves lengthy hearings and appeals. The word belongs firmly to legal, diplomatic, and journalistic language — news reports regularly note that a suspect was "extradited from Spain" or "extradited to the United States" to face charges. It is generally used in the passive voice and should not be confused with deportation, which concerns removing someone from a country rather than transferring them for justice. Its precision makes it indispensable wherever law crosses borders.
verb (past tense and past participle of extradite)Having been formally handed over by one state or country to another for criminal prosecution, trial, or punishment, under a legal process governed by treaty.
- (Of a person) formally surrendered by one state or jurisdiction to another for prosecution, trial, or punishment under an extradition treaty or agreement.
"After years of legal appeals, the suspect was extradited to France to face fraud charges."
"The fugitive was extradited from Spain to face trial in New York."
"Under the treaty, he could not be extradited for political offences."
The word 'extradite' literally means 'to hand over from beyond' — a piece of 19th-century French legal Latin that now headlines international manhunts.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of extradited
"Extradite" entered English in the mid-19th century from French "extrader," formed from Latin "ex-" (out) plus "tradere" (to hand over, deliver). The same Latin verb "tradere" gives English words such as "tradition," "traitor," and "treason," all built around the idea of handing something or someone over. The noun form "extradition" was established slightly earlier as a term of international law.
Related word forms
How extradited is actually used
"Extradited" is used almost exclusively in formal legal, journalistic, and diplomatic contexts. It typically appears in passive constructions with "to" marking the requesting state and "from" the surrendering state. It carries no informal register; in everyday speech people more often say "sent back" or "handed over."
Easily confused with extradited
Deportation is the removal of a person from a country where they have no right to remain, while extradition is the formal surrender of a person between states specifically to stand trial or serve a sentence.