ImportError: cannot import name 'etree' from 'lxml'

Your lxml predates Python 3.12 support, so its compiled modules do not expose etree properly on 3.12 and pyquery's import dies. Upgrade with python -m pip install -U lxml pyquery. The import works once lxml is 4.9.3 or newer.

The error

ImportError: cannot import name 'etree' from 'lxml'

Fix it

1. Check the versions

python --version
python -m pip show lxml | head -2

Expected: Python 3.12+ with lxml older than 4.9.3. That combination is the broken one.

1. Upgrade lxml and pyquery

python -m pip install -U lxml pyquery

Expected: lxml 4.9.3+ (or 5.x) installs with a proper 3.12 wheel.

1. Confirm

python -c "from pyquery import PyQuery; print('ok')"

Expected: prints ok.

When this applies

• the ImportError names etree from lxml when importing pyquery
• you are on Python 3.12+ with an old lockfile
• it worked on 3.11 and broke after the interpreter upgrade

When it does NOT apply

• No module named 'lxml' means lxml is absent entirely
• No module named 'pyquery' is the missing install

Compatibility

Python 3.12+ requires lxml 4.9.3+. pyquery 2.x with older lxml on 3.12 is the reported combination (gh:gawel/pyquery#255).

Why it happens

lxml is a C extension and each release supports a fixed set of Python versions. lxml 4.9.2 and older have no Python 3.12 support; on 3.12 the old binary misbehaves and the etree submodule import fails. pyquery does from lxml import etree at its own import time, so the version skew surfaces as a pyquery import error.

Edge cases

• If your lockfile pins lxml==4.9.2, bump the pin. There is no workaround that keeps old lxml on 3.12.
• Conda users: conda update lxml from conda-forge gets a 3.12-compatible build.
• The same skew breaks plain from lxml import etree too. The fix is identical with or without pyquery.