Cutting means using a sharp tool to divide something into pieces or to make an opening in it. When you're cutting paper with scissors, slicing bread with a knife, or trimming hedges with shears, you're separating material by pressing a sharp edge through it.

The word appears in many contexts. A film editor makes cuts to remove scenes from a movie. A coach makes cuts to the team roster, deciding which players won't make the final lineup. Someone might take a shortcut (literally cutting across instead of following the long way around). A comment can be cutting when it's harsh enough to hurt someone's feelings, like a sharp blade.

Cutting-edge describes the most advanced version of something, like cutting-edge technology or research. This comes from the idea that the sharp edge of a blade is what does the real work. When scientists develop cutting-edge medicine, they're at the forefront of what's possible, pushing beyond what anyone has done before.

You might also hear about cutting costs (reducing expenses) or cutting corners (doing something the quick, careless way instead of properly). The word suggests both the physical act of dividing things and the broader idea of reducing, removing, or separating.