What does laceration mean?
A laceration is a deep cut or tear in the skin or another part of the body, typically produced by force, violence, or an accident. The term is especially common in medical, legal, and emergency-response contexts, where it distinguishes an irregular, traumatic injury from a simple scrape or a deliberately made surgical incision. A laceration may require cleaning, stitches, or other treatment, depending on its depth and severity. In literary and figurative language, the word can also mean the act of tearing something apart or of inflicting severe damage, as in a reference to the social or emotional “laceration” caused by a conflict. Laceration derives from Latin, where the related verb lacerare meant “to tear” or “to rend.” The word is useful when precision matters because it conveys both the physical appearance of an injury and, by extension, the idea of forceful disruption.
nounA deep cut or tear in the skin or other tissue, especially one caused by violence or an accident. The word can also refer to the act of tearing or rending something.
- A deep, irregular cut or tear in the skin or another body tissue, usually caused by injury.
- The act of tearing, rending, or otherwise damaging something, especially in physical or figurative contexts.
"The accident left a painful laceration across her arm."
"The surgeon cleaned the laceration and closed it with several stitches."
"The report described the cuts as severe lacerations rather than superficial scratches."
The plural lacerations is standard when referring to multiple injuries, cuts, or instances of tearing.
"Several lacerations were visible on the patient's arms and legs."
A laceration is more than a scratch: it is a violent tear in the body’s protective surface, and its name comes from the Latin verb for rending.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does laceration come from?
The word comes through Latin lacerāre, meaning “to tear” or “to rend,” and ultimately relates to the idea of making a ragged wound. English adopted the noun in the 16th century, initially referring to a tearing or rending, before it came to be used especially for an injury involving a deep cut in the flesh. Its modern medical sense developed alongside the related verb lacerate, while the root remains visible in forms such as lacerable.
Related word forms
How laceration is actually used
In medical and legal contexts, the term is more specific than the general word “cut” and usually suggests tissue that has been torn or deeply divided. In literary or figurative use, it can describe severe verbal or emotional damage.
Easily confused with laceration
An incision is a deliberate surgical cut, whereas a laceration is an irregular or traumatic cut in the skin or tissue.
An abrasion scrapes or rubs away the surface of the skin, while a laceration is a cut or tear.