Jews and Moslems practise circumcision for religious reasons.
circumcise in British English
(ˈsɜːkəmˌsaɪz)
verb(transitive)
1.
to remove the foreskin of (a male)
2.
to incise surgically the skin over the clitoris of (a female)
3.
to remove the clitoris of (a female)
4.
to perform the religious rite of circumcision on (someone)
Derived forms
circumciser (ˈcircumˌciser)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Latin circumcīdere, from circum- + caedere to cut
circumcise in American English
(ˈsɜrkəmˌsaɪz)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈcircumˌcised or ˈcircumˌcising
1.
a.
to cut off all or part of the foreskin of (a male)
b.
to cut off the labia minora or clitoris of (a female)
2. Archaic
to cleanse from sin; purify
Word origin
ME circumcisen < OFr circonciser < L circumcisus, pp. of circumcidere, to cut around, in LL(Ec), to circumcise < circum, around + caedere, to cut: see -cide