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necropsy

American  
[nek-rop-see] / ˈnɛk rɒp si /

noun

plural

necropsies
  1. the examination of a body after death; autopsy.


verb (used with object)

necropsied, necropsying
  1. to perform a necropsy on.

necropsy British  
/ nɛˈkrɒskəpɪ, ˈnɛkrɒpsɪ /

noun

  1. another name for autopsy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of necropsy

1855–60; necr- + -opsy 1

Compare meaning

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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.

A necropsy was conducted at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine on Tuesday, revealing that “almost the entire liver” was overtaken with cancerous tumors, Shepherd said.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2025

"We've managed to retrieve his remains and put him in a cooled area, in preparation for a necropsy by the veterinary institute," he told AFP news agency.

From BBC • Sep. 1, 2024

Yet Majrad’s death was especially devastating, conservationist Raza Kazmi reported: When researchers performed a necropsy, they found she’d been pregnant with triplets.

From Slate • May 25, 2024

Authorities say a necropsy will be performed to possibly shed light on what is affecting the fish, which could take weeks or months to determine.

From Seattle Times • May 3, 2024

I walked farther down the line to the photos from the necropsy, the shark twisted into the rocks like a huge white sea monster washed up from the pages of an old story.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen