incision
gb/ɪnsˈɪʒən/ us/ɪnsˈɪʒən/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
technical
B2
event
1
surgical cut in the body
a cut a doctor makes during an operation
Usage pattern:
an incision in/on [body part]; an incision to [do something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use incision for any small cut; in everyday English, cut is more common unless you mean a medical procedure.
Synonyms
surgical cut (A plain description; less formal than incision.)
|
cut (Much more general; not specifically medical.)
Antonyms
closure (The act or result of closing a surgical wound.)
|
healing (The process of the wound recovering rather than being cut.)
Collocations
make an incision
|a small incision
|a surgical incision
|a clean incision
|a deep incision
|the incision site
|incision length
|close the incision
|an incision to remove [something]
|a series of incisions
Themes
health
|medicine
|surgery
Examples
- The surgeon made a small incision near the knee.
- The nurse cleaned the incision and changed the dressing.
- If the incision becomes red or swollen, contact your doctor.
Learner examples
- The doctor made an incision in my arm.
- My incision is healing well.
Noun
C1
entity
2
cut or slit made by cutting
a cut made with something sharp
Usage pattern:
an incision in [material/object]
Common mistake:
Often interchangeable with cut, but incision sounds more precise and is used more in careful or formal description.
Synonyms
slit (Suggests a narrow, straight opening.)
|
cut (The broad, everyday term; less precise.)
|
slice (Often implies cutting through with a long motion.)
Antonyms
seal (A closed, unbroken surface rather than an opening.)
|
intact surface (No cut or opening present.)
Collocations
a neat incision
|a shallow incision
|a straight incision
|a small incision in the fabric
|a deliberate incision
Themes
daily_life
|materials
Examples
- She made a small incision in the cardboard to start the cutout.
- The tailor’s incision was so neat it was barely visible.
- A long incision ran down the center of the leather.
Learner examples
- I made an incision in the paper with a knife.
- There is an incision in the box.
Noun
technical
C2
entity
3
notch or groove in anatomy
a natural cut-like hollow in the body
Usage pattern:
the incision of [structure]
Common mistake:
This sense is rare outside anatomy; most learners will only need the surgical meaning.
Synonyms
notch (More common in general English; often used for bones.)
|
groove (Suggests a longer channel-like indentation.)
|
indentation (General term for a hollow or dip.)
Antonyms
projection (A raised part rather than a hollow.)
|
ridge (An elevated line instead of an indentation.)
Collocations
anatomical incision
|a bony incision
|a small incision in the skull
|an incision on the bone
Themes
health
|biology
|anatomy
Examples
- The diagram labels an incision on the bone where a nerve passes through.
- In anatomy, an incision can refer to a natural notch rather than a surgical cut.
Grammar
Dictionary form
incision
IPA
GB/ɪnsˈɪʒən/
US/ɪnsˈɪʒən/
Syllables & stress
in - cision (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (cision)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: incision
- Plural: incision, incisions
Word family
Expressions
a small incision
1/ə smˈɔl ɪnsˈɪʒən/
fixed phrase
technical
short cut with minimal opening
a short cut made in surgery
Examples
- The procedure requires only a small incision.
- With a small incision, the scar is usually less noticeable.
close the incision
1/klˈoʊz ðə ɪnsˈɪʒən/
fixed phrase
technical
finish by sealing the cut
to close a surgical cut
Examples
- After removing the cyst, the doctor closed the incision with stitches.
- The surgeon checked for bleeding before closing the incision.
incision and drainage
1/ɪnsˈɪʒən ˈænd dɹˈeɪnɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
technical
procedure to release trapped fluid
a medical procedure to cut and let infection drain
Examples
- The urgent care doctor performed incision and drainage of the abscess.
- After incision and drainage, the swelling quickly went down.
incision site
1/ɪnsˈɪʒən sˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
technical
place where the cut was made
the place on the body where the doctor cut
Examples
- Keep the incision site clean and dry for 48 hours.
- She felt mild soreness around the incision site.
make an incision
1/mˈeɪk ən ɪnsˈɪʒən/
fixed phrase
technical
cut into tissue with a blade
to make a cut, usually in surgery
Examples
- The surgeon will make an incision just below the rib cage.
- They made an incision in the fabric to insert the zipper.