1. the act of deleting something written or printed

2. the omission that is made when an editorial change shortens a written passage

e.g. an editor's deletions frequently upset young authors
both parties agreed on the excision of the proposed clause

Synonym: excisioncut

3. (genetics) the loss or absence of one or more nucleotides from a chromosome

4. any process whereby sounds or words are left out of spoken words or phrases

Synonym: omission