thanatology

[ than-uh-tol-uh-jee ]

/ ˌθæn əˈtɒl ə dʒi /

noun

the study of death and its surrounding circumstances, as in forensic medicine.

Psychiatry. the study of the effects of death and dying, especially the investigation of ways to lessen the suffering and address the needs of the terminally ill and their survivors.

Nearby words

thanage, thanato-, thanatobiologic, thanatognomonic, thanatoid, thanatology, thanatophobia, thanatopsis, thanatos, thane, thaneship

Origin of thanatology

First recorded in 1835–45; thanato- + -logy

Related forms

than·a·to·log·i·cal

[than-uh-tl-oj-i-kuh l] /ˌθæn ə tlˈɒdʒ ɪ kəl/, adjectivethan·a·tol·o·gist, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for thanatology

thanatology

/ (ˌθænəˈtɒlədʒɪ) /

noun

the scientific study of death and the phenomena and practices relating to it

Word Origin for thanatology

C19: from Greek thanatos death + -logy

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

Medicine definitions for thanatology

thanatology

[ thăn′ə-tŏl′ə-jē ]

n.

The study of death and dying, especially of their psychological and social aspects.