circumcision

noun

cir·cum·ci·sion | \ˌsər-kᵊm-ˈsi-zhən,

ˈsər-kᵊm-ˌ\

Definition of circumcision

1a : the act of circumcising especially : the cutting off of the foreskin of males that is practiced as a religious rite by Jews and Muslims and by others as a social custom or for potential health benefits (such as improved hygiene)

b : female genital mutilation

c : the condition of being circumcised

2 capitalized : January 1 observed as a festival in some churches in commemoration of the circumcision of Jesus

Examples of circumcision in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Knee and hip replacements are now the third- and fourth-most-common surgeries, respectively, in U.S. hospitals, behind Caesarean sections and circumcisions. — Consumer Reports, Washington Post, "Knee and hip replacements are common, but they’re not always fully successful," 18 June 2018 Oh my God, remember when Charlotte made this guy get an adult circumcision??!?!?!?!?!?!?! — Kelly Conaboy, The Cut, "Sex and the City," 6 June 2018 The push to curb circumcision has been brewing in parts of Europe for several years. — Christina Caron, New York Times, "Bill Banning Circumcision in Iceland Alarms Religious Groups," 28 Feb. 2018 To Nima Zamani, a radio host born in Denmark to Iranian refugees, the issue of circumcision is personal. — Martin Selsoe Sorensen, New York Times, "Denmark Talks (Reluctantly) About a Ban on Circumcising Boys," 2 June 2018 To Nima Zamani, a radio host born in Denmark to Iranian refugees, the issue of circumcision is personal. — Martin Selsoe Sorensen, The Seattle Times, "Denmark talks (reluctantly) about a ban on circumcising boys," 2 June 2018 But in a play both funny and poignant, the parents are at odds over whether to go through with the circumcision ritual. — Christine Dolen, miamiherald, "Summer Shorts Festival means summer has arrived," 29 May 2018 Good Trouble, by Joseph O’Neill The angst of modern life pervades the daily lives of the characters in these stories from the author of Netherland, whose subversive humor finds new angles on everything from facial hair to circumcision. — Time Staff, Time, "22 New Books to Read This Summer," 22 May 2018 The World Health Organization estimates that the overall male circumcision rate in the states is somewhere between 76 and 92 percent compared to less than 20 percent in Western European countries, as reported by the Washington Post. — Mark Price, charlotteobserver, "Men with red-stained crotches will protest circumcision in Charlotte this weekend | Charlotte Observer," 23 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'circumcision.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.