The Latin term “praescindo” translates roughly into the phrase “I cut off in front.” The English verb “prescind” has two usages: The first means to remove a certain item from consideration, and the second is to remove yourself or separate from something. Both applications involve a cutting in the figurative sense, but are still closely related to the Latin origin. The Latin root includes the verb “scindere,” meaning “to cut,” which is recognizable as the origin of the word “scissors.”