From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Incisive \In*ci"sive\, a. [Cf. F. incisif.]
[1913 Webster]
1. Having the quality of incising, cutting, or penetrating,
as with a sharp instrument; cutting; hence, sharp; acute;
sarcastic; biting; trenchant. "An incisive, high voice."
--G. Eliot.
[1913 Webster]
And her incisive smile accrediting
That treason of false witness in my blush. --Mrs.
Browning.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the incisors; incisor; as, the
incisive bones, the premaxillaries.
[1913 Webster]
3. Clearly and succinctly stated, with penetrating insight
into the issue at hand; as, an incisive comment.
[PJC]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
incisive
adj 1: having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine
distinctions; "an acute observer of politics and
politicians"; "incisive comments"; "icy knifelike
reasoning"; "as sharp and incisive as the stroke of a
fang"; "penetrating insight"; "frequent penetrative
observations" [syn: {acute}, {discriminating},
{incisive}, {keen}, {knifelike}, {penetrating},
{penetrative}, {piercing}, {sharp}]
2: suitable for cutting or piercing; "incisive teeth"
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