Question

excise The ancient Minoans from the island of Crete apparently excised the hearts of their human sacrifices. ˈɛksaɪz

Accepted Answer

To cut out, especially surgically. Excise takes part of its meaning from the prefix ex-, “out.” A writer may excise long passages of a novel to reduce it to a reasonable length, or a film director may excise a scene that might give offense. A surgeon may excise a large cancerous tumor, or make a tiny excision to examine an organ's tissue. Excise is also a noun, meaning a tax paid on something manufactured and sold in the U.S. Much of what consumers pay for tobacco or alcohol products go to cover the excise taxes that the state and federal government charge the manufacturers. But it's only accidental that this noun is spelled like the verb, since it comes from a completely different source.

word	excise
definition	To cut out, especially surgically.
eg_sentence	The ancient Minoans from the island of Crete apparently excised the hearts of their human sacrifices.
explanation	Excise takes part of its meaning from the prefix ex-, “out.” A writer may excise long passages of a novel to reduce it to a reasonable length, or a film director may excise a scene that might give offense. A surgeon may excise a large cancerous tumor, or make a tiny excision to examine an organ's tissue. Excise is also a noun, meaning a tax paid on something manufactured and sold in the U.S. Much of what consumers pay for tobacco or alcohol products go to cover the excise taxes that the state and federal government charge the manufacturers. But it's only accidental that this noun is spelled like the verb, since it comes from a completely different source.
IPA	ˈɛksaɪz

Excise Meaning Cut Surgically Ancient Minoans Island Crete