circumcision

American  

[sur-kuhm-sizh-uhn] / ˌsɜr kəmˈsɪʒ ən /

noun

1. an act, instance, or the rite of circumcising.

2. clitoridectomy.

3. spiritual purification.

4. (initial capital letter) a church festival in honor of the circumcision of Jesus, observed on January 1.

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circumcision British  

/ ˌsɜːkəmˈsɪʒən /

noun

1. 1. surgical removal of the foreskin of males

   2. surgical incision into the skin covering the clitoris in females

   3. removal of the clitoris

2. the act of circumcision, performed as a religious rite by Jews and Muslims

3. RC Church the festival celebrated on Jan 1 in commemoration of the circumcision of Jesus

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circumcision Cultural  

1. The surgical removal of the skin that covers the tip of the penis, usually performed soon after birth. Although circumcision is common in the United States, the procedure is no longer widely recommended as a medical necessity by physicians.

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Circumcision is performed as a religious ceremony by Jews (see also Jews) and Muslims.

Etymology

Origin of circumcision

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, from Late Latin circumcīsiōn-, stem of circumcīsiō, equivalent to circumcise + -ion

Example Sentences

Earlier this month, the U.S. ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, accused the government of antisemitism for investigating mohels, specialists in ritual Jewish circumcision, who potentially lacked medical training required by the state.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

In Belgium, circumcision is legal “when performed by a qualified physician under strict health and safety standards,” Prévot wrote on X.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

A jury inquest which concluded on 8 October 2025 found the medical cause of death to be an "invasive streptococcus pyogenes infection following male circumcision".

From BBC • Jan. 2, 2026

To summarize, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s top federal healthcare official, conjured up a connection between circumcision and autism via a relationship between circumcision and Tylenol that is unsupported by the research he cited.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 14, 2025

A custom of circumcision school is that one must perform a daring exploit before the ceremony.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela