Question

scission noun You may suspect that a connection exists between "scission" and "scissors," but, actually, their etymologies are sharply divided. "Scission" traces to the Latin verb "scindere" ("to split" or "to cut"). "Scissors," on the other hand, comes from an entirely separate Latin verb that also means "to cut" -- "caedere." The Middle English word for the cutting instrument was "cisours" or "sisoures," which comes from Middle French "cisoires." An "sc" spelling appeared only in the 16th century when, apparently, the word for the cutting instrument was mistakenly taken to have derived, like "scission," from "scindere." 1 : a division or split in a group or union : schism2 : an action or process of cutting, dividing, or splitting : the state of being cut, divided, or split

Accepted Answer

February 5, 2008 SIZH-un Despite the bitter scissions that divided their party, the Republicans dominated the state's political scene throughout the 1990s.

Word	scission
Date	February 5, 2008
Type	noun
Syllables	SIZH-un
Etymology	You may suspect that a connection exists between "scission" and "scissors," but, actually, their etymologies are sharply divided. "Scission" traces to the Latin verb "scindere" ("to split" or "to cut"). "Scissors," on the other hand, comes from an entirely separate Latin verb that also means "to cut" -- "caedere." The Middle English word for the cutting instrument was "cisours" or "sisoures," which comes from Middle French "cisoires." An "sc" spelling appeared only in the 16th century when, apparently, the word for the cutting instrument was mistakenly taken to have derived, like "scission," from "scindere."
Examples	Despite the bitter scissions that divided their party, the Republicans dominated the state's political scene throughout the 1990s.
Definition	1 : a division or split in a group or union : schism 2 : an action or process of cutting, dividing, or splitting : the state of being cut, divided, or split

Scission Scissors Latin Verb Middle Word Cutting Instrument