incise
verb
in·cise in-ˈsīz 
-ˈsīs
-ˈsīs incised; incising
transitive verb
1
a
: to carve (something, such as an inscription) into a surface
b
: to carve figures, letters, or devices into : engrave
2
: to cut into
Synonyms
- engrave
- etch
- grave
- inscribe
- insculp [archaic]
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The design is incised into the clay. The clay is incised to create a design.
Recent Examples on the Web There is a plication procedure and there are procedures to incise the plaque out. 
Jeff Forward, Chron, 23 Nov. 2020 Of all the successes among heritage brands, few have exceeded that of the traditional boat shoe with white soles incised in a pattern of chevron grooves. New York Times, 5 Feb. 2020 It was incised on eleven tablets, back and front, with roughly three hundred lines on each tablet. Joan Acocella, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2019 Yet humans continue to intrude, as illustrated by Michael Marks’s print of mountaintop-removal mining and Laura Ahola-Young’s drawing, incised into a sea-and-sky scene, of undersea oil-drilling gear. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 6 Sep. 2019 And thousands of noncorroding Frisbee-size discs, incised with images of human horror, will be buried all around for any inquisitive diggers to find. Tim Heffernan, Popular Mechanics, 10 May 2012 Among other astonishments here are numerous gorgeous plasters—penciled, incised and painted. Lance Esplund, WSJ, 19 June 2018 After the Yankees incised Duffy on May 19, his ERA hovered near seven. Chandler Rome, Houston Chronicle, 16 June 2018 Twenty-eight days ago in Houston, Severino incised the Astros. Chandler Rome, Houston Chronicle, 30 May 2018 See More
Jeff Forward, Chron, 23 Nov. 2020 Of all the successes among heritage brands, few have exceeded that of the traditional boat shoe with white soles incised in a pattern of chevron grooves. New York Times, 5 Feb. 2020 It was incised on eleven tablets, back and front, with roughly three hundred lines on each tablet. Joan Acocella, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2019 Yet humans continue to intrude, as illustrated by Michael Marks’s print of mountaintop-removal mining and Laura Ahola-Young’s drawing, incised into a sea-and-sky scene, of undersea oil-drilling gear. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 6 Sep. 2019 And thousands of noncorroding Frisbee-size discs, incised with images of human horror, will be buried all around for any inquisitive diggers to find. Tim Heffernan, Popular Mechanics, 10 May 2012 Among other astonishments here are numerous gorgeous plasters—penciled, incised and painted. Lance Esplund, WSJ, 19 June 2018 After the Yankees incised Duffy on May 19, his ERA hovered near seven. Chandler Rome, Houston Chronicle, 16 June 2018 Twenty-eight days ago in Houston, Severino incised the Astros. Chandler Rome, Houston Chronicle, 30 May 2018 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle French or Latin; Middle French inciser, from Latin incisus, past participle of incidere, from in- + caedere to cut
First Known Use
1567, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Kids Definition
incise
verb
in·cise in-ˈsīz
incised; incising
: to cut into : carve, engrave
A design was incised in clay.
Medical Definition
incise
transitive verb
in·cise in-ˈsīz -ˈsīs
-ˈsīs incised; incising
: to cut into : make an incision in
incised the swollen tissue
incise
verb
1
as in to etch
to cut (as letters or designs) on a hard surface incised a pattern into the copper plate Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- etch
- inscribe
- engrave
- carve
- trace
- sculpt
- grave
- chisel
- affix
- sculpture
- insculp
- indent
- notch
- groove
- chase
- impress
- score
2
as in to slit
to penetrate with a sharp edge (as a knife) incised the tree with a sharp ax to get the sap flowing Synonyms & Similar Words
- slit
- slice
- rip
- pierce
- slash
- cut
- stab
- gash
- bruise
- shear
- chop
- split
- carve
- cleave
- sever
- tear
- lacerate
- chisel
- mangle
- crosscut
- rive
- dissect
- hacksaw
- rend
- scissor
- butcher
- hack
- chip
- notch
- amputate
- mince
- anatomize
- section
- dice
- saw
- haggle
- cut off