Late Middle English (in an earlier sense). From Anglo-Norman and Middle French abscision (French abscision, (now usually) abscission) act of cutting something off or away and its etymon classical Latin abscīsiōn-, abscīsiō omission of the last letter or syllable of a word, rhetorical device in which the speaker comes to a sudden halt, loss of voice, in post-classical Latin also act of cutting off (Vetus Latina), castration, excommunication from abscīs-, past participial stem of abscīdere + -iō.