Crossword Genius

Selected portion of former publication (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

extract

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'selected portion' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot see how one could define the other.

'former publication' is the wordplay.
'former' becomes 'ex' (prefix meaning former or onetime).
'publication' becomes 'tract' (I've seen this before).
'ex'+'tract'='EXTRACT'

'of' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for extract that I've seen before include "Passage selected from a larger work" , "Extirpate" , "Take out with effort, say a tooth" , "Part" , "short passage from a book" .)

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