noun

cutting

KUH-tihng

noun

A piece cut from a plant — a stem, leaf, or root — used to grow a new plant.

"She took a cutting from the rose bush to grow in a pot."

A clipping cut from a newspaper or other printed text.

"He kept a cutting from the newspaper announcing his graduation."

A channel dug through higher ground at a lower level than the surrounding land, for a road, railway, or canal to pass through.

"The train slowed as it passed through a deep cutting in the hillside."

adj

Sharp or piercing, especially of remarks or criticism.

"Her cutting remark left him speechless."

"The wind had a cutting edge to it that morning."

How to Use Cutting

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a piece cut off something (a plant stem, a newspaper clipping) or, as an adjective, sharply hurtful.

Common mistake

Don't confuse the horticultural "cutting" (a piece used to grow a new plant) with "clipping," which usually refers only to print media.

Common pairings

plant cutting newspaper cutting cutting remark cutting wind

cuttings plural, Cuttings plural

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Can you complete this real example?

She took a _____ from the rose bush to grow in a pot.

Formed from cut plus the suffix -ing.

putting butting gutting shutting strutting