INCISIVE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does incisive mean? 

• INCISIVE (adjective)
  The adjective INCISIVE has 2 senses:

1. having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions

2. suitable for cutting or piercing

  Familiarity information: INCISIVE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INCISIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions

Synonyms:

acute; discriminating; incisive; keen; knifelike; penetrating; penetrative; piercing; sharp

Context example:

frequent penetrative observations

Similar:

perceptive (having the ability to perceive or understand; keen in discernment)

Derivation:

incisiveness (keenness and forcefulness of thought or expression or intellect)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Suitable for cutting or piercing

Context example:

incisive teeth

Similar:

sharp (having or made by a thin edge or sharp point; suitable for cutting or piercing)

Derivation:

incise (make an incision into by carving or cutting)

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

incision (a depression scratched or carved into a surface)

 Context examples 

He was amazed at the man's sympathy with life and at his incisive psychology.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

It was he who at once, in an incisive and positive tone, opened the conversation.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“And what else?” I asked, keenly interested, as I always was, by my friend’s incisive reasoning.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It may be a weakness of mine that I have an incisive way of speech; but I threw all restraint to the winds and cut and slashed until the whole man of him was snarling.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Our visitor glanced with some apparent surprise at the languid, lounging figure of the man who had been no doubt depicted to him as the most incisive reasoner and most energetic agent in Europe.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Indeed, apart from the nature of the investigation which my friend had on hand, there was something in his masterly grasp of a situation, and his keen, incisive reasoning, which made it a pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the quick, subtle methods by which he disentangled the most inextricable mysteries.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)