What does the suffix -cise mean?

What does the suffix -cise mean?

• A. Bend
• B. Cut
• C. Remove
• D. Split

Answer: (B)

The suffix -cise signals cutting. It comes from a Latin root meaning to cut, and in English appears in words that deal with cutting or trimming away. For example, incision is a cut into tissue, excise means to cut out, and concise conveys being cut down to essentials. Because the core idea conveyed by this suffix is cutting, the best match is “cut.” Options like bend, remove, or split don’t align with the underlying sense of cutting represented by -cise.

The suffix -cise signals cutting. It comes from a Latin root meaning to cut, and in English appears in words that deal with cutting or trimming away. For example, incision is a cut into tissue, excise means to cut out, and concise conveys being cut down to essentials. Because the core idea conveyed by this suffix is cutting, the best match is “cut.” Options like bend, remove, or split don’t align with the underlying sense of cutting represented by -cise.