# cutting

/ˈkətɪŋ/ (US) · /kˈʌtɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cutting
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. plant part

noun · CEFR B2

a small piece of a plant that you cut off and plant to grow a new one.

For teachers: a vegetative portion of a plant, such as a stem or leaf, removed for the purpose of asexual propagation.

- She took a cutting from her friend's rose bush to grow in her own garden.
- The gardener dipped the base of the cutting into rooting hormone before placing it in a well-drained compost mix to encourage growth.

### 2. newspaper article

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

an article or picture cut out from a newspaper or magazine.

For teachers: an article, photograph, or advertisement physically excised from a periodical.

- He kept a folder full of newspaper cuttings about his local football team.
- The archive contains thousands of press cuttings dating back to the early twentieth century, providing a unique record of local history.

### 3. self-harm

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the act of intentionally cutting your own skin, often because of emotional pain.

For teachers: the practice of intentionally inflicting superficial wounds on one's own body as a manifestation of psychological distress.

- The doctor explained that cutting is often a sign of deep emotional struggle.
- The clinical study examined the correlation between adolescent anxiety disorders and the prevalence of cutting as a maladaptive coping mechanism.

### 4. excavated path

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Technical

a path or passage dug through high ground for a road or railway.

For teachers: an open passage excavated through higher ground to allow a transport route to maintain a relatively level grade.

- The train slowed down as it entered a deep cutting through the hills.
- Engineers had to blast through solid granite to create the railway cutting, a feat that took nearly three years to complete.

### 5. hurtful speech

adjective · CEFR B2

unkind and likely to hurt someone's feelings.

For teachers: intentionally cruel, sharp, or stinging in nature; typically used of remarks or criticism.

- He made a cutting remark about her dress that made her feel very embarrassed.
- Her cutting critique of the director's latest film was widely circulated, effectively ending his hopes for a major award nomination.

### 6. piercing cold

adjective · CEFR B2 · Literary

feeling very sharp and cold, like a knife.

For teachers: penetratingly cold or sharp; used to describe wind or weather conditions.

- A cutting wind blew across the open fields, making everyone shiver.
- The cutting winter gale forced the sailors to seek shelter in the lee of the cliffs until the storm subsided.

### 7. dividing or reducing

verb · CEFR A2

the action of using a sharp tool to divide something or make it smaller.

For teachers: the present participle of 'cut', denoting the act of incision, reduction, or division.

- She was busy cutting the vegetables for the soup when the phone rang.
- The government is currently cutting expenditure across several departments to address the growing budget deficit.

## Examples

- I took a cutting from my friend's rose bush.
- If you take a cutting from a healthy succulent, you can easily grow several new plants for your garden.
- Propagating rare species via stem cuttings allows gardeners to bypass the unpredictable nature of seed germination while ensuring the offspring remains genetically identical to the parent plant.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.