dissected

American  

[dih-sek-tid, dahy-] / dɪˈsɛk tɪd, daɪ- /

adjective

1. Botany. deeply divided into numerous segments, as a leaf.

2. Physical Geography. separated, by erosion, into many closely spaced crevices or gorges, as the surface of a plateau.

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dissected British  

/ daɪ-, dɪˈsɛktɪd /

adjective

1. botany in the form of narrow lobes or segments

   dissected leaves

2. geology (of plains) cut by erosion into hills and valleys, esp following tectonic movements

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Other Word Forms

• undissected adjective
• well-dissected adjective

Etymology

Origin of dissected

First recorded in 1625–35; dissect + -ed ²

Example Sentences

But his defiance prompted a lengthy news cycle in which the 72-year-old coach was cooked on social media, his actions dissected under umbrellas of sportsmanship, race, and mansplaining.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Mastick and her team opened 178 cans and carefully dissected the preserved fish, counting tiny parasitic worms known as anisakids embedded in the flesh.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

"It is not the same to have your entire self debated, ripped apart, dissected, insulted, trampled on in this chamber and more widely as though it were a mere abstract question," he said.

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

The powerful men connected to him are named, dissected and speculated about.

From Salon • Dec. 17, 2025

In an office with a conference table and a blackboard, the Plumbers dissected Daniel Ellsberg.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin