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abscission

noun
ab·​scis·​sion | \ ab-ˈsi-zhən How to pronounce abscission (audio) \

Definition of abscission

1 : the act or process of cutting off : removal
2 : the natural separation of flowers, fruit, or leaves from plants at a special separation layer

Examples of abscission in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Eventually, as the veins in the leaf close down, a layer of cells called the abscission layer forms at the base of the leaf stem before falling off. — Andrew J. Tobias, cleveland.com, "Cleveland's West Side could play decisive role in picking the city's next mayor," 3 Nov. 2017

First Known Use of abscission

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for abscission

Middle English abscisioun, borrowed from Medieval Latin abscīsiōn-, abscīsiō "cutting off, felling, amputation," going back to Latin, "aposiopesis," from abscīdere "to cut off or away, remove" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns; spelling abscission (in Late and Medieval Latin as abscissiōn-, abscissiō) by construing the noun as a derivative of Latin abscindere "to tear off or away" — more at abscise, abscissa

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More Definitions for abscission

abscission

noun
ab·​scis·​sion | \ ab-ˈsizh-ən How to pronounce abscission (audio) \

Medical Definition of abscission

: the act or process of cutting off : ablation

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