redaction

noun

re·​dac·​tion ri-ˈdak-shən 

1

: an act or instance of redacting something

2

: a work that has been redacted : edition, version

redactional

ri-ˈdak-shnəl 

-shə-nᵊl

adjective

Did you know?

Here's a quiz for all you etymology buffs. Can you pick the words from the following list that come from the same Latin root?

A. redaction B. prodigal C. agent D. essay
E. navigate F. ambiguous

If you guessed all of them, you are right. Now, for bonus points, name the Latin root that they all have in common. If you knew that it is the verb agere, meaning to "to drive, lead, act, or do," you get an A+. Redaction is from the Latin verb redigere ("to bring back" or "to reduce"), which was formed by adding the prefix red- (meaning "back") to agere. Some other agere offspring include act, agenda, cogent, litigate, chasten, agile, and transact.

Examples of redaction in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The redactions might get lifted over time as part of the legal process. —Alina Selyukh, NPR, 17 Jan. 2025

Sacramento State had excluded the list of transactions in the August report published to its website as a redaction, but released the documents this month. —Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 10 Jan. 2025

Contra In a motion asking to file both unredacted and redacted versions of the document with the court, Smith suggested the government’s redactions don’t identify witnesses as Trump’s lawyers claim. —Alison Durkee, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024

Aaron Martin, an associate circuit judge in Moniteau County, Mo., ruled that a state law requiring redactions of many court records, including the names of all witnesses and victims involved in lawsuits and criminal proceedings, violates the U.S. and Missouri constitutions. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 28 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French rédaction, from Late Latin redaction-, redactio act of reducing, compressing, from Latin redigere to bring back, reduce, from re-, red- re- + agere to lead — more at agent

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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