circumcise

verb

cir·​cum·​cise ˈsər-kəm-ˌsīz 

circumcised; circumcising

transitive verb

: to cut off the foreskin of (a male) or the prepuce or clitoris and labia minora of (a female)

circumciser noun

Examples of circumcise in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Scientists who conducted the 2015 study examined rates of autism among 3,347 predominantly Jewish and Muslim boys who were ritually circumcised in the hospital or in doctor’s clinics. —Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2025

What To Know The researchers found in their study of over 1.5 million male babies that in 2012, 54.1 percent of the male neonate population were circumcised. —Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Sep. 2025

However, the baby’s health allegedly took a turn for the worse after he was circumcised the evening of April 14. —Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 28 Apr. 2025

Father who officials said circumcised son at home pleads not guilty Online records show Tyler Gibson appeared in court Monday, waived his formal arraignment and pleaded not guilty to his charges. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin circumcisus, past participle of circumcidere, from circum- + caedere to cut

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for circumcise

• advertise
• aggrandize
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

Kids Definition

circumcise

verb

cir·​cum·​cise ˈsər-kəm-ˌsīz 

circumcised; circumcising

: to cut off the foreskin of

Medical Definition

circumcise

transitive verb

cir·​cum·​cise ˈsər-kəm-ˌsīz 

circumcised; circumcising

1

: to cut off the foreskin of (a male) or the prepuce of (a female)

2

: to cut off all or part of the external genitalia and especially the clitoris and labia minora of (a female) see female genital mutilation

circumciser noun