Exaction
/ɪɡˈzæk.ʃən/noun
The act of demanding or obtaining something, especially payment, by force, authority, or pressure.
Did you know?Its Latin ancestor, exactionem, comes from ex- + agere, literally “to drive out” or “to force,” which is why the word has always carried the vibe of compelled extraction.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ag-
“to drive, lead, or move”
Latin
Latin
agere
“to drive, lead, do, act”
Latin
Latin
exigere
“to drive out, demand, exact, compel”
Late Latin
Latin
exactionem
“a demanding, extortion, collection”
Old French
Old French
exaction
“extortion, oppressive demand”
Middle English
English
exaccion
“a demand for payment or service, often oppressive”
Modern English
English
exaction
“the act of demanding or obtaining something, especially by authority or pressure”