🪡 The act of dividing 🎬 Editing or dividing 🗡️ Harsh or cruel ✂️ A piece removed

cutting

1 3.5

A small piece taken from something larger, like a newspaper article or plant for growing

noun
/ˈkʌtɪŋ/

: recorte (de prensa)

I took some cuttings from the rose bush to propagate new plants.
seeds and cuttings
take cuttings
plant cuttings

In fact, most, most rooted cuttings fail.

Examples

Seamus asked me to bring cuttings from the newspapers about the news from Palestine.

Fiction book (2000)
It's a cutting from one of mine.

The Woodsman (2004)
Then all I do is just take my cuttings and I stick them in.
A cutting takes three years to make good grapes.

In Other Words (2020)
Geraniums can be transplanted by the cutting.

Big Brown Eyes (1936)
Pooler and DeFeo decided they should start taking cuttings right after cherry blossom time.

Academic text (1999)
The gardener recommended using healthy cuttings to ensure successful growth.
After collecting several cuttings, she placed them in water to encourage rooting.

Synonyms

cutout

vscutting

21 4.2

A shape removed from a larger piece of material like paper or fabric

is broader focusing on items removed for keeping or reuse

clipping

vscutting

12 1.9

A small piece cut from a newspaper containing an article or photo

is broader and also refers to plant pieces or general samples

newspaper clipping

vscutting

4 2.3

A small piece cut from a newspaper that people keep to remember something

is more general and includes plant pieces and other samples

slip

vscutting

Jargon

1 7.6

A small part of a plant used to grow a new plant

is more general and also covers articles and other sample types

press cutting

vscutting

Literature

3.2

A piece cut from a newspaper or magazine that you keep

is the broader term that covers plant pieces and other samples

Antonyms

addition

583 1.6

A person, thing, or extra part put into something to improve it

Idioms

ninjas cutting onions

Informal

9.9

A joking excuse for tears when something makes you feel emotional

Compounds

cutting edge

101 3.9

The newest and most advanced position in a field like technology

cutting-edge

46 5.6

Very new and modern because it uses the latest ideas and technology

cost cutting

19 3.0

Steps a company takes to spend less money

cutting board

14 1.5

A flat board used to cut food like meat or vegetables

cutting room

7 4.6

A room where people edit films or tapes by removing unwanted parts

cutting room floor

6 6.8

Parts of a film or book removed before the final version is released

cutting tool

2 3.1

A tool like a knife or scissors that cuts materials

cutting edge

2 3.6

The sharp side of a blade that slices food or other things

price cutting

1 2.8

Reducing the price of goods below the usual amount to attract customers

metal-cutting

Specialized

1 4.8

Tools or machines that cut metal

clear-cutting

Specialized

1 5.2

Cutting down all the trees in an area at once

cutting off

1 5.1

The removal of part of something with a sharp tool, like a branch or wire

cutting angle

Specialized

1 6.3

The angle between a tool's blade and the surface of the material

rug-cutting

Archaic

1 8.7

A lively, skilled dance that shows energy and enthusiasm

cutting onions

Informal

8.0

A joking way to say someone seems to be crying from strong feelings

cutting out

Specialized

6.9

An operation to remove part of the body or tissue

leaf-cutting bee

6.8

A bee that cuts small pieces from leaves or flowers to build its nest

rug-cutting move

Slang

8.2

A lively dance move that people do with energy to show skill

press cutting

Literature

3.2

A piece cut from a newspaper or magazine that you keep

How Big

tuber

Specialized

8 6.0

bulb

26 3.2

propagule

Specialized

1 9.9

cutting

1 3.5

seed

381 1.0

spore

Specialized

56 6.7

Surface Forms

cutting singular

cuttings plural

Morphology

cutting = cut (transparent) = cut + ing

A straightforward nominalization meaning 'a piece removed by cutting'; learners who know 'cut' and '-ing' can derive this sense.

Etymology

Cutting comes from the simple verb cut, which comes from an old English word meaning 'to cut' or 'divide'. A cutting is literally a small piece 'cut' from something larger, like a newspaper article you save.