Wordwyrt

incisive

/ˌɪnˈsaɪsɪv/in-SIGH-siv
/ˌɪnˈsaɪsɪv/in-SIGH-siv

Meaningcutting

Common meaning: sharp and clear in thought

Journey through time

  1. Latinincisus‘cut into’source
  2. Frenchinciser‘cut into’source
  3. Englishincise‘make a cut into a surface’
  4. Englishformed in English from inciseincisive‘sharp and clear in thought’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from incise + -ive.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), INCISE, p.287 · scan

Source words

  • incisus Latin · source word “cut into”

Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app