scission

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

scission
    n 1: the act of dividing by cutting or splitting

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Scission \Scis"sion\, n. [L. scissio, fr. scindere, scissum, to
   cut, to split: cf. F. scission.]
   The act of dividing with an instrument having a sharp edge.
   --Wiseman.
   [1913 Webster]

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

22 Moby Thesaurus words for "scission":
      abscission, amputation, butchering, chopping, cleavage, cutting,
      dichotomy, enucleation, excision, fission, laceration, mutilation,
      rending, resection, ripping, section, severance, slashing, slicing,
      splitting, surgery, tearing

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