medical examiner

American  

noun

1. a physician or other person trained in medicine who is appointed by a city, county, or the like, to perform autopsies on the bodies of persons supposed to have died from unnatural causes and to investigate the cause and circumstances of such deaths.

2. a physician retained by an insurance company, industrial firm, or the like, to give medical examinations to its clients or employees.

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medical examiner British  

noun

1. a medical expert, usually a physician, employed by a state or local government to determine the cause of sudden death in cases of suspected violence, suicide, etc Compare coroner

2. a physician who carries out medical examinations

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Etymology

Origin of medical examiner

First recorded in 1840–50

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

medical examiner

KTLA’s Sky 5 helicopter captured medical examiner investigators and L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026

After Walker’s death, a medical examiner ruled that she died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease with preeclampsia, the latter of which is a dangerous pregnancy-related high blood pressure condition that doctors had identified in Walker.

From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026

On cross-examination, the defense team got a medical examiner to admit they could not absolutely rule out that Hernandez was holding the weapon or attempted to harm herself the night of the killing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026

Jaafri's probable cause of death was given by the hospital and medical examiner as bronchopneumonia due to flu and frailty.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

“I think you are right,” Miss Volker agreed as Mr. Huffer reached into his jacket pocket and removed the medical examiner paperwork and certificate of death.

From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos

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