coroner

American  

[kawr-uh-ner, kor-] / ˈkɔr ə nər, ˈkɒr- /

noun

coroners plural

1. an officer, as of a county or municipality, whose chief function is to investigate by inquest, as before a jury, any death not clearly resulting from natural causes.

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coroner British  

/ ˈkɒrənə /

noun

1. a public official responsible for the investigation of violent, sudden, or suspicious deaths and inquiries into treasure trove. The investigation ( coroner's inquest ) is held in the presence of a jury ( coroner's jury ) See also procurator fiscal Compare medical examiner

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• coronership
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• coroners
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

coroner coroners

Police said their families had been informed and a file would be prepared for the coroner.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

The coroner determined that the markings found on her body were consistent with “postmortem insect activity” and were not evidence of strangulation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

In 2022, a coroner in London called for action after the death of 14-year-old Fatima Abukah on a privately owned scooter.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Cleveland Police said formal identification was yet to take place and it was continuing to carry out enquiries on behalf of the coroner.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

The coroner estimated that her death occurred sometime between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. on October 26.

From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks

Autopsies ordered by coroners are usually done as part of investigations into an unexpected or unusual death as well as deaths in custody.

From BBC ● May 19, 2026

Two elected South Carolina coroners said in interviews that Spivey’s body appeared to have been illegally handled.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 5, 2026

Hughes, a broadcaster, author and leader of the Anglesey Druid Order, spent three decades working for coroners across the UK and abroad as a specialised mortuary technician.

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026

It is made up of voluntary reports of inquest records from coroners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

From BBC ● Feb. 12, 2026

In the country districts, the police magistrates act as coroners, and in the districts of New Norfolk, Richmond, Oatlands, Campbell Town, Longford, Horton, and South Port, as commissioners of the court of requests.

From The History of Tasmania , Volume II by West, John