autopsy
Americannoun
plural
autopsies-
inspection and dissection of a body after death, as for determination of the cause of death; postmortem examination.
-
an analysis of something after it has been done or made.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
Also called: necropsy. postmortem examination. dissection and examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death
-
an eyewitness observation
-
any critical analysis
Other Word Forms
- autopsist noun
Etymology
Origin of autopsy
1645–55; (< Middle French autopsie ) < Greek autopsía a seeing with one's own eyes, equivalent to aut- aut- + óps ( is ) -opsis + -ia -y 3
Compare meaning
How does autopsy compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
An autopsy is the dissection of a dead human body to figure out the cause of death. If you watch crime shows on TV, you've probably seen hundreds of 'em. The word autopsy comes from the Greek, meaning "to see with one's own eyes." Many cultures thought it was sacrilegious to mar the human body, because the dead person would need it in the afterlife (you don't want to be hanging out for eternity with your pals while your intestines are flapping around your ankles). Autopsy is used interchangeably with the term post-mortem, Latin for "after-death."
Vocabulary lists containing autopsy
To Thine Own Self Be True: Auto
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Into the Wild
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Common Senses: Op, Ops, Opt ("Sight")
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She requested a copy of the autopsy report, but it raised more questions than answers.
From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026
Strickland insisted on a toxicology report to go along with the autopsy, he told Boyd, “just to cover you.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
Caroline said the family felt Ronald was not kept in the correct environment before being taken for an autopsy.
From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026
“How do you do an autopsy? What are you looking for? Why do you choose to become a medical examiner?”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
A paragraph which blandly stated the results of the autopsy appeared in the back of the Hampden Examiner.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
