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incisive

[ in-sahy-siv ]
/ ɪnˈsaɪ sɪv /
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See synonyms for: incisive / incisiveness on Thesaurus.com
adjective
penetrating; cutting; biting; trenchant: an incisive tone of voice.
remarkably clear and direct; sharp; keen; acute: an incisive method of summarizing the issue.
adapted for cutting or piercing.
of or relating to the incisors: the incisive teeth.
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Origin of incisive

From the Medieval Latin word incīsīvus, dating back to 1520–30. See incise, -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM incisive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to incisive

concise, penetrating, piercing, trenchant, acerbic, biting, caustic, mordant, sardonic, satirical, scathing, succinct, terse, acute, bright, clever, keen, perspicacious, profound, sharp

How to use incisive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for incisive

incisive
/ (ɪnˈsaɪsɪv) /
adjective
keen, penetrating, or acute
biting or sarcastic; mordantan incisive remark
having a sharp cutting edgeincisive teeth

Derived forms of incisive

incisively, adverbincisiveness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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