precisus

Precísus is a Latin term appearing as an adjective or participial form in classical and medieval Latin texts. In its core sense it relates to being cut off beforehand, shortened, or compact. The core verb behind the form is praecidere, meaning to cut off before, and praecisus (and its variants) describes something that has been clipped, pruned, or condensed. In later Latin, the sense broadened to include notions of exactness or precision in form, writing, or speech.

In usage, praecisus could describe physical objects that were prepared or trimmed, as well as textual or rhetorical output that is deliberately concise. The sense of concision contributed to the medieval and early modern association with careful, exact expression. Because Latin adjectives and participles often shift in meaning through context, praecisus is typically encountered in philological or textual commentaries rather than as a common everyday term in Latin prose.

Etymology and linguistic lineage flow from the prefix prae- meaning before, combined with caedere meaning to cut. The concept carried into modern Romance languages, influencing terms for concise summaries. In English and French, related forms or derivatives evolved to signify brevity or a condensed synopsis. The English word most familiar to many readers is précis (from French précis), a concise summary of a longer work; while not a direct descendant in spelling, its conceptual root is the same lineage of cutting down to essentials.

See also: précis, preciseness.