recidere
to cut off
verb reh-CHEE-deh-reh Rare
Origin: From Latin recidere (to cut back), from re- + caedere (to cut)
Also means
to sever
Usage Note
Recidere is a formal or literary verb meaning to cut cleanly through something — a branch, a cord, or figuratively a relationship. Its past participle is reciso. Do not confuse with recidivo (recidivist) despite the similar root. In everyday speech tagliare is preferred; recidere appears in legal, surgical, and literary registers.
Examples
"Il chirurgo ha reciso il tessuto danneggiato."
Natural Translation
The surgeon cut off the damaged tissue.

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