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circumcise

Pronunciation: /ˈsəːkəmsʌɪz/

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Definition of circumcise

verb

[with object]

cut off the foreskin of (a young boy or man, especially a baby) as a religious rite, especially in Judaism and Islam, or as a medical treatment.
cut off the clitoris, and sometimes the labia, of (a girl or young woman) as a traditional practice among some peoples.

Derivatives

circumciser

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French circonciser, or from Latin circumcis- 'cut around', from the verb circumcidere, from circum 'around, about' + caedere 'to cut'

Spelling help

Unlike most verbs ending in -ise, circumcise cannot be spelled with an -ize ending.

circumcise in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of circumcise in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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