discerp

transitive verb

dis·​cerp

də̇ˈsərp,

-ˈzerp

-ed/-ing/-s

1

: to tear apart : dismember

2

archaic : to tear off : sever from a whole

Word History

Etymology

Middle English discerpen, from Latin discerpere, from dis- apart + -cerpere (from carpere to pick, pluck)

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