circumcision

AI In plain words

Writing a short explanation…

Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

circumcision

/ˌsɜː(ɹ)kəmˈsɪʒən/

Rhymes with -ɪʒən

Where it comes from

From Middle English circumcisioun, from Old French circumcisiun (modern French circoncision) and its etymon Latin circumcīsiō, from circumcīdō (“cut around”), from circum (“about, around; through”) + caedō (“cut, hew”). By surface analysis, circumcis(e) + -ion.

noun circumcisions

countable, uncountable The surgical excision of the foreskin and usually all or most of the penile frenulum. So ſay I , did the Covenant of circumciſion, in that he that was circumciſed was bound to keep the whole Law Gal 5. 3.
Judaism, countable, modern, specifically, uncountable, usually Pharisaic circumcision.
Philippines, countable, historical, uncountable Other surgeries involving the incision or partial excision of the foreskin or penile frenulum without total posthetomy. The ancient Egyptians practiced circumcision by creating a dorsal incision in the foreskin.
countable, uncountable The surgical excision of the clitoral hood of the clitoris; female circumcision.
countable, often, proscribed, uncountable The surgical excision of the clitoris; clitoridectomy.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: fgm, excision, cutting, mutilation, curtailment, ablation, removal, bris, brith, brit, brit milah, prepucectomy, posthectomy, khitan, genital cutting, foreskinectomy

noun

Translations

Every language

noun removal of foreskin from penis

Español	circuncisión
한국어	할례 hallye, 포피절제 popijeolje, 포경수술 pogyeongsusul
日本語	割礼 katsurei, 包皮切断 hōhisetsudan, 包茎手術 hōkeishujutsu
中文	包皮環切術 /包皮环切术 bāopí huánqiēshù, 割禮 /割礼 gēlǐ, 割包皮 gēbāopí
हिन्दी	ख़तना xatnā, खतना khatnā, सुन्नत sunnat, मुसलमानी musalmānī
Kiswahili	tohara
Português	circuncisão
Français	circoncision
Deutsch	Beschneidung, Zirkumzision
Italiano	circoncisione
Ελληνικά	περιτομή peritomí
Română	circumcizie
Русский	обреза́ние obrezánije, циркумци́зия cirkumcízija
Tiếng Việt	cắt bao quy đầu
العربية	خِتَان ḵitān, طهور ṭhūr
עברית	מִילָה milá

Talk about this word

Cite this

MLA

"circumcision." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/circumcision. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

circumcision. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/circumcision

Chicago

"circumcision." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/circumcision.

BibTeX

@misc{circumcision_2026,
  title = {circumcision},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/circumcision},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}