English Explanatory Dictionary

incisive

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Intelligently analytical and concise. (of a person or mental process)
  2. Accurate and sharply focused. (of an account)
  3. Quickly proceeding to judgment and forceful in expression. (of an action)
  4. Having the quality of incising, cutting, or penetrating, as with a sharp instrument; trenchant.
  5. Of or relating to the incisors.

Pronunciation

/ɪnˈsaɪ.sɪv/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-incisive.wav

Word forms

incisive more incisive most incisive

Etymology

Late Middle English (in the sense “cutting, penetrating”), borrowed from Medieval Latin incīsīvus, from incīdō (“to cut in, cut through”) + -īvus (“-ive”, adjectival suffix). Compare Middle French incisif.

Synonyms

decisive forthright sharp acute sarcastic biting

Derived words

incisive bone incisive canal incisive fossa incisively incisiveness incisivity interincisive maxilloincisive nasoincisive unincisive
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