incision

noun

in·​ci·​sion in-ˈsi-zhən 

1

a

: cut, gash

specifically : a wound made especially in surgery by incising the body

b

: a marginal notch (as in a leaf)

2

: an act of incising something

3

: the quality or state of being incisive

Synonyms

• slit
• tear

Examples of incision in a Sentence

the surgeon made a thin incision with the scalpel

Recent Examples on the Web

Post-surgery update: Linky's incision is healing well. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025

For the first autopsy, an Army doctor named Kosaka made an incision into the abdominal section of the body of a young soldier. —Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025

Instead, Wharton’s value comes from receiving the ball in the busy engine room, retaining it under pressure, and moving it onwards with incision and speed for his colleagues up ahead. —Thom Harris, New York Times, 15 May 2025

Hernias: These may occur at the surgical incision site or in the abdomen. —Cristina Mutchler, Health, 18 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for incision

• abscission
• collision
• decision
• derision
• division
• elision
• envision
• excision
• misprision
• precision
• prevision
• provision

Kids Definition

incision

noun

in·​ci·​sion in-ˈsizh-ən 

1

: a cut or gash made in something

especially : a cut made into the body during surgery

removed the diseased appendix through a small incision

2

: an act of cutting into something

watched the surgeon's skillful incision

Medical Definition

incision

noun

in·​ci·​sion in-ˈsizh-ən 

1

: a cut or wound of body tissue made especially in surgery

2

: an act of incising something

the surgeon's incision of the tissues