"act of cutting or dividing," mid-15c., from French scission (14c.), from Late Latin scissionem (nominative scissio) "a cleaving, dividing," noun of action from past participle stem of Latin scindere "to cut" (see shed (v.)).
scission scis·sion (sĭzh'ən, sĭsh'-)
n.
A separation, division, or splitting, as in fission.
See cleavage.