Autopsy Definition

ôtŏpsē, ôtəp-
autopsied, autopsies, autopsying
noun
autopsies
An examination and dissection of a dead body to discover the cause of death, damage done by disease, etc.; postmortem.
Webster's New World
A critical assessment or examination after the fact.
A post-election campaign autopsy.
American Heritage
A detailed critical analysis of a book, play, etc., or of some event.
Webster's New World
Examination of a cadaver to determine or confirm the cause of death.
American Heritage Medicine
The post-mortem examination of a human body, including its dissection and the removal and inspection of the major organs, to determine the cause of death.
Webster's New World Law
Synonyms:
verb
To subject to an autopsy.
American Heritage
To examine (a body) in this manner.
Webster's New World
To subject to an autopsy.
American Heritage Medicine
To perform an autopsy on.
Wiktionary

To perform an after-the-fact analysis of, especially of a failure.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Autopsy

Noun

Singular:
autopsy
Plural:
autopsies

Origin of Autopsy

  • Greek autopsiā a seeing for oneself auto- auto- opsis sight okw- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From New Latin autopsia, from Ancient Greek αὐτοψία (autopsia, “seeing with one's own eyes”).

    From Wiktionary

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