1630s, "a cutting off (mentally), abstraction, freedom from inessential elements," from French précision (16c.) and directly from Latin praecisionem (nominative praecisio) "a cutting off," in Medieval Latin "precision," noun of action from past-participle stem of praecidere "to cut off, shorten," from prae "before" (see pre-) + -cidere, combining form of caedere "to cut" (from PIE root *kae-id- "to strike"). Meaning "quality or state of being precise" is from 1740.
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