- present participle of cut.
cutting
Americannoun
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cuttings
plural
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the act of a person or thing that cuts.
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something cut, cut off, or cut out.
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Horticulture. a piece, as a root, stem, or leaf, cut from a plant and used for propagation.
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something made by cutting, as a recording.
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a form of repetitive self-injury in which a person deliberately cuts the skin, as to cope with stress or negative emotions.
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Manège.
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the removal of a specific animal from a herd of cattle, as performed by a ranch horse.
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a competitive exhibition in which horses demonstrate this skill.
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Chiefly British. a clipping from a newspaper, magazine, etc.
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British. a trenchlike excavation, especially through a hill, as one made in constructing a highway.
adjective
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able to cut or slice.
a cutting blade.
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piercing, as a wind.
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wounding the feelings severely; sarcastic.
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Manège. relating to or noting a horse bred or trained for the ranching task of separating a specific animal from a herd of cattle, or the competitive exhibition of this skill: The last day of the rodeo was dedicated to the cutting competition and barrel racing finals.
Champion cutting horses are bred for agility.
The last day of the rodeo was dedicated to the cutting competition and barrel racing finals.
noun
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a piece cut off from the main part of something
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horticulture
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a method of vegetative propagation in which a part of a plant, such as a stem or leaf, is induced to form its own roots
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a part separated for this purpose
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Also called (esp US and Canadian): clipping. an article, photograph, etc, cut from a newspaper or other publication
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the editing process by which a film is cut and made
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an excavation in a piece of high land for a road, railway, etc, enabling it to remain at approximately the same level
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informal sharp-wittedness
there is no cutting in him
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(modifier) designed for or adapted to cutting; edged; sharp
a cutting tool
adjective
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keen; piercing
a cutting wind
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tending to hurt the feelings
a cutting remark
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of cutting
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; see origin at cut, -ing 1, -ing 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Also cutting into sales of Western firms are the economy’s slower growth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
The sanctions could deal a potentially crippling blow to the ICC by cutting it off from the U.S. financial system and prohibiting it from conducting transactions in dollars.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
The government complained that hungry sharks are eating too much Atlantic cod and Greenland halibut, cutting into what humans can bring home and damaging their gear.
From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026
That would, in theory at least, set a firm and realistic agenda, cutting the endless hours of gruelling negotiations that often dominate COP meetings before votes are taken on individual technical points.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
Tomás and John climbed back into the truck after cutting through their third tree.
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
Within a few years, he had planted 10,000 cuttings and stripped every flower bed from the property.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
All they had to do was obtain cuttings from berry plants on existing farms, then reproduce them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Monstera, ficus, and purple-and-green tradescantia are among the cuttings that will be shared with the public, in collaboration with Wayward Plants Reuse Centre.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
"A survival strategy starts with finding clean cuttings in the wild before myrtle rust attacks them and propagating them to grow at safe sites," he said.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 13, 2026
She put her vase down on the table in front of me, then glancing around my pantry again said: 'If you wish, Mr Stevens, I might bring in some more cuttings for you.'
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
