mid-13c., "to cut off the foreskin," from Old French circoncisier "circumcise" (12c., Modern French circoncire) and directly from Latin circumcisus, past participle of circumcidere "to cut round, to cut, trim, prune off," from circum "around" (see circum-) + caedere "to cut" (from PIE root *kae-id- "to strike."). Related: Circumcised; circumcising.
