Define Cut and Wound

The words "cut" and "wound" are often used interchangeably when discussing a person's injuries. These two words mean different things, though there are areas of overlap when it comes to their literal definitions.

Cut

• The word cut has a lot of different meanings. Movies, music, steak and actions can all be cut. The most common definition of the word is to penetrate with a sharp edge, or to leave an opening in something. Cutting is often done with a knife or some other sharp tool that has a blade on it.

Wound

• A wound is different from a cut, by definition. A wound is an injury to the body, and particularly one in which the skin is pierced, cut or torn open when the wound was inflicted. If damage is done to the body, then you could say they have been wounded.

Crossover

• The obvious crossover here is that while any cut on the body is a wound, not all wounds are cuts. For instance, a gun shot wound pierces the skin and doesn't cut. A broken bone may not even break the skin, but it is still a wound. The same is true of bruises that swell and turn dark.

Other Wounds

• The word wound has a second definition that isn't crossed over by the word cut, though. A wound may also be emotional. For instance, if someone says something unkind to another person they could wound their feelings, even though the body is still in perfectly good condition after the insult.

Other Cuts

• The word cut has dozens of other possible definitions. Cut can refer to how meat or vegetables are cut for cooking. It can refer to how a movie's film is cut, or the shape that a diamond is cut into before it's placed in a setting. A cut can refer to reaping, such as cutting a harvest, or it can refer to cutting something off, such as a hair cut or a lawn cut.