verb
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to cut open and examine the structure of (a dead animal or plant)
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(tr) to examine critically and minutely
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To cut apart or separate body tissues or organs, especially for anatomical study.
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In surgery, to separate different anatomical structures along natural lines by dividing the connective tissue framework.
Other Word Forms
- dissectible adjective
- dissection noun
- dissector noun
- redissect verb (used with object)
- self-dissecting adjective
Etymology
Origin of dissect
1600–10; < Latin dissectus (past participle of dissecāre to cut up), equivalent to dis- dis- 1 + sec- cut + -tus past participle suffix
Explanation
When you dissect a frog in science class, you cut it open to look at its inner organs. To dissect is to break something down to look at its parts. Dissecting something allows you to look at it closely and understand it better. If your soccer team loses a match, you might want to dissect the game afterward to try to find exactly how and when things went wrong. Television analysts will often dissect a political speech to understand what was really being said, how true the statements were, and how well it was done.
Vocabulary lists containing dissect
"Fine?" Vocabulary from the short story
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Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
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Thirteen Reasons Why
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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.
Unlike memorable judging furors from the 1990s and 2000s, this time there was social media for angry fans to dissect videos and zoom in on every potential misstep.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026
I spoke with a few coffee experts to dissect what “fibermaxxing” our coffee entails:
From Salon • Jan. 17, 2026
They dissect ingredient lists, film unboxings and record "Get Ready With Me" videos built around ideas such as "glass skin", sheet masks and, of course, snail mucin.
From BBC • Jan. 2, 2026
How the Chargers can win: If Herbert has time, he should be able to dissect a suspect Cowboys secondary and relies heavily on zone coverage.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 20, 2025
I scowled at the sweaty preacher, trying to dissect the thoughts in my brain.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
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.
