INCISION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does incision mean? 

• INCISION (noun)
  The noun INCISION has 2 senses:

1. a depression scratched or carved into a surface

2. the cutting of or into body tissues or organs (especially by a surgeon as part of an operation)

  Familiarity information: INCISION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INCISION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A depression scratched or carved into a surface

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

dent; incision; prick; scratch; slit

Hypernyms ("incision" is a kind of...):

depression; impression; imprint (a concavity in a surface produced by pressing)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "incision"):

score; scotch (a slight surface cut (especially a notch that is made to keep a tally))

Derivation:

incise (make an incision into by carving or cutting)

incisive (suitable for cutting or piercing)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The cutting of or into body tissues or organs (especially by a surgeon as part of an operation)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

incision; section; surgical incision

Hypernyms ("incision" is a kind of...):

cut; cutting (the act of penetrating or opening open with a sharp edge)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "incision"):

gastromy (surgical incision into the stomach)

perineotomy (surgical incision into the perineum)

laparotomy (surgical incision into the abdominal wall; often done to examine abdominal organs)

orchotomy (surgical incision into the testis to obtain material for analysis (as in cases of abnormally low sperm count))

sclerotomy (surgical incision of the sclerotic coat of the eye)

nephrotomy (incision into a kidney (usually to remove a kidney stone))

thoracotomy (surgical incision into the chest walls opening up the pleural cavity)

valvotomy; valvulotomy (incision into a stenosed cardiac valve to relieve the obstruction)

phlebotomy; venesection (surgical incision into a vein; used to treat hemochromatosis)

vasosection; vasotomy (surgical incision into or division of the vas deferens)

Holonyms ("incision" is a part of...):

operation; surgery; surgical operation; surgical procedure; surgical process (a medical procedure involving an incision with instruments; performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body)

Derivation:

incise (make an incision into by carving or cutting)

incisive (suitable for cutting or piercing)

 Context examples 

A surgical incision made on the uterus to access the uterine cavity.

(Hysterotomy, NCI Thesaurus)

A procedure in which a surgical incision (cut) is made through the skin to expose and remove tissues.

(Incisional biopsy, NCI Dictionary)

Sometimes the tube is placed into the stomach or small intestine through an incision (cut) made on the outside of the abdomen.

(Gavage, NCI Dictionary)

A surgical procedure to extend the length of an initial surgical incision.

(Enlargement Of Surgical Incision, NCI Thesaurus)

The two incisions made during NER are catalyzed by separate DNA endonucleases.

(DNA Excision Repair Protein ERCC-4, NCI Thesaurus)

A break in the skin or other body tissues caused by injury or surgical incision (cut).

(Injury, NCI Dictionary)

A thick, irregular scar caused by excessive tissue growth at the site of an incision or wound.

(Keloid, NCI Dictionary)

An operation to remove all or part of the colon through a long incision made in the wall of the abdomen.

(Open colectomy, NCI Dictionary)

The incision is large enough to let the surgeon see into the body.

(Open resection, NCI Dictionary)

During minimally invasive surgery, one or more small incisions may be made in the body.

(Minimally invasive surgery, NCI Dictionary)