percutio

Percutio is a Latin verb meaning to strike through, pierce, or perforate. In classical Latin, it appears in contexts describing a physical act of striking or passing through an object, and it forms the basis for related medical and anatomical terms in later languages. The verb is used in various conjugations, with the third-person singular percutit meaning “he/she/it strikes through.”

Etymology and principal parts: percutio comes from the combination of the prefix per- (through) and the verb cutio, a form related to cutere (to strike). The standard principal parts are percutio, percutere, percussi, percussus. This construction is the source of several modern terms in medicine and science, most notably the noun percussio (a striking through) and the English derivatives percussion, percuss, and percussive.

Modern usage and influence: In English, percutio itself is not a standard term, but its derivatives are widespread. Percussion refers to the act of tapping or striking a body surface to diagnose or to produce sound, a technique rooted in the Latin noun percussio and the Greek-influenced medical vocabulary that followed. The adjective percussive, and the verb to percuss, derive from the same lineage. These terms appear across medicine, music, and other technical fields, reflecting the enduring legacy of the Latin root percutio.

See also: percussion, percussive, percuss, percutaneous (note: while related in meaning, percutaneous derives from percutere through the skin and is a separate formation).