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abscise

verb
ab·​scise | \ ab-ˈsÄ«z How to pronounce abscise (audio) \
abscised; abscising

Definition of abscise

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: to separate by abscission

First Known Use of abscise

1612, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

History and Etymology for abscise

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

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