circumcise
cir·cum·cise (sʉr′kəm sīz′)
transitive verb circumcised -·cised′, circumcising -·cis′·ing
- to cut off all or part of the foreskin of (a male)
- to cut off the labia minora or clitoris of (a female)
- Archaic to cleanse from sin; purify
Etymology: ME circumcisen < OFr circonciser < L circumcisus, pp. of circumcidere, to cut around, in LL(Ec), to circumcise < circum, around + caedere, to cut: see -cide
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
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