abscise
/æbˈsaɪz/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To cut off or remove a part of something. It is used most often in biology, especially for leaves, cells, or tissues. It is a formal scientific word.
- The plant may abscise old leaves in autumn.
- Scientists studied how cells abscise after division.
- The tissue was abscised for analysis.
Adinary Nuance
Abscise is much more specific than cut or remove. In science, it usually means a part separates naturally or is separated by a process, especially in plants or cells. Writers choose abscise when they want a precise biological term, not a general one. It sounds technical and formal, so it is not common in everyday speech.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- tách ra
- Spanish
- separar
- Chinese
- 脱落
- Japanese
- 切り離す
- Korean
- 절단하다
Etymology
Abscise comes from Latin abscindere, meaning “to cut off.” It entered English through scientific writing and is mainly used in biology.
Common phrases
abscise a leafabscise tissueabscise from the stem
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is abscise a common word?
- No, it is quite rare. You will mostly see it in biology or scientific writing.
- Is abscise the same as cut?
- Not exactly. Cut is general, while abscise is a precise scientific word for cutting off or separating.
- Can I use abscise in everyday English?
- Usually no. In daily conversation, people say cut off, remove, or detach.
- What is the noun form of abscise?
- The noun is abscission.