extricate
UK[ˈek.strɪ.keɪt]US[ˈek.strə.keɪt]
v
to free or remove someone or something from a difficult situation or constraint
v
to disentangle or release from a state of entanglement or difficulty
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
tric
ate
ex
out of, from
tric
perplexities, hindrances
ate
Etymology
the word 'extricate' originates from the latin verb 'extricare', which itself is built from the prefix 'ex-' meaning 'out' and 'tricae', a plural noun referring to trifles, perplexities, or hindrances. the literal sense was 'to disentangle from perplexities or hindrances'. this latin root 'tricae' is of obscure origin but is thought to be related to notions of entanglement or obstruction. over time, the meaning evolved from the physical act of disentangling to the more abstract sense of freeing someone or something from any complex or constraining situation.
Analysis
Structure: ex + tric + ate
ex- (latin, prefix meaning 'out of, from'); tric (latin, from 'tricae' meaning 'perplexities, hindrances'); -ate (latin, verb-forming suffix)
Examples
the firefighters worked for hours to extricate the driver from the wreckage.
she needed to extricate herself from the unprofitable business deal.
the diplomat's skill helped extricate the two nations from a potential conflict.