incisive

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɪnˈsaɪ.sɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #63476

Meanings

1

adj
suitable for cutting or piercing

Incisive teeth.
2

adj
Quickly proceeding to judgment and forceful in expression. (of an action)

An incisive producer, who expressed vehement disapproval with my pitch upon my first sentence.
3

adj
Having the quality of incising, cutting, or penetrating, as with a sharp instrument; trenchant.

An incisive, high voice.
4

adj
Of or relating to the incisors.

The incisive bones, the premaxillaries.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 adj · quickly proceeding to... decisive forthright

3 adj · having the quality of... acute biting sarcastic sharp

Word family

Derived forms incisivelyincisivenessincisivityinterincisivemaxilloincisivenasoincisiveunincisive

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

incisive intellect
An ability to think that quickly identifies important points and cuts through confusion.

Adjective + noun

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.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# incisive

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ɪnˈsaɪ.sɪv/
**Frequency rank:** 63476

## Meanings
1. suitable for cutting or piercing
2. Quickly proceeding to judgment and forceful in expression. (of an action)
3. Having the quality of incising, cutting, or penetrating, as with a sharp instrument; trenchant.
4. Of or relating to the incisors.

## Examples
- Incisive teeth.
- An incisive producer, who expressed vehement disapproval with my pitch upon my first sentence.
- An incisive, high voice.
- The incisive bones, the premaxillaries.

## Synonyms
- decisive
- forthright
- acute
- biting
- sarcastic
- sharp

## Derived Forms
- incisively
- incisiveness
- incisivity
- interincisive
- maxilloincisive
- nasoincisive
- unincisive

## 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.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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