coroner
Americannoun
-
coroners
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of coroner
1225–75; Middle English < Anglo-French corouner supervisor of the Crown's pleas, equivalent to coroune crown + -er -er 2
Explanation
A coroner is a scientist with a grim specialty: a coroner studies dead bodies and figures out the cause of death. If you've ever watched a TV show or movie about crime, chances are you've seen a character who was a coroner. If someone dies of a heart attack, there's not much need for a coroner, because everyone knows how they died. When the circumstances are unclear or suspicious, a coroner is needed. Coroners are very helpful in solving crimes.
Vocabulary lists containing coroner
The Westing Game
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On the Come Up
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Trifles
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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.
See Examples For:
The coroner said he was waiting on a report on the full post-mortem examinations into the men's deaths, a report from the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and a police collision report.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Senior coroner Dr Julian Morris said on Wednesday: "The various reports have given me reason to suspect that Professor Arday died an unnatural death 12 days ago."
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
There aren't enough pathologists being trained, and the basic fee of £96.80 for carrying out a post-mortem for a coroner hasn't increased in well over a decade.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
The coroner who presided over the inquest, Caroline Topping, told us she was unable to comment.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
The coroner took a quick step back to the table and rapped sharply with his knuckles.
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
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One change that would not require any investment is the attitude that some coroners appear to show towards bereaved families.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Alexia Durran, the chief coroner for England and Wales, told the BBC that coroners are seeing "increasingly complex cases" that are creating a "greater volume of work" and "greater stress" on staff.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
She wants coroners here to learn from her native Australia, where learning from every inquest is examined.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
For the final analysis, researchers used only cases for which coroners had approved the use of the data.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026
The best of accountants, but the poorest of coroners is he.
From From Sea to Sea Letters of Travel by Rudyard Kipling
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.