abscise

verb

ab·scise ab-ˈsīz

abscised; abscising

transitive verb

: to separate (something, such as a flower from a stem) by abscission

intransitive verb

: to separate by abscission

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abscisen "to cut away," borrowed from Latin abscīsus, past participle of abscīdere "to cut off or away, remove," from abs- (variant of ab- ab- before c- and t-) + caedere "to strike, cut through, fell"; in later use back-formation from abscision, taken as synonym of abscission — more at concise

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler

The first known use of abscise was in 1612

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Abscise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abscise. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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