I. ˈla-sə-ˌrāt transitive verb
( -at·ed ; -at·ing )
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin laceratus, past participle of lacerare to tear; akin to Greek lakis tear
Date: 15th century
1. : to tear or rend roughly : wound jaggedly
2. : to cause sharp mental or emotional pain to : distress
• lac·er·a·tive -ˌrā-tiv adjective
II. -rət, -ˌrāt adjective
or lac·er·at·ed -ˌrā-təd
Date: 1542
1.
a. : torn jaggedly : mangled
b. : extremely harrowed or distracted
2. : having the edges deeply and irregularly cut
a lacerate petal