dissect
Dissect (verb) means to cut open a body, plant, or organism to examine its internal structure. Example: “Students dissected a frog in biology class.”
How to use dissect
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo cut something apart to look inside it, or to analyse something piece by piece.
Word forms
dissected past tense, dissects singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Students _____ a frog in biology class.
Etymology
From Latin dissecare, "to cut apart," from dis- ("apart") + secare ("to cut") — related to "section."
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “dissect” mean?
The word “dissect” means to cut open a body, plant, or organism to examine its internal structure. In plain terms, to cut something apart to look inside it, or to analyse something piece by piece.
How do you pronounce “dissect”?
“Dissect” is pronounced dih-SEHKT (/dɪˈsɛkt/ in IPA).
How do you use “dissect” in a sentence?
Here is “dissect” used in a sentence: “Students dissected a frog in biology class.”
What part of speech is “dissect”?
“Dissect” is a verb.
Where does the word “dissect” come from?
The word “dissect” comes from Latin. From Latin dissecare, "to cut apart," from dis- ("apart") + secare ("to cut") — related to "section.".
How many meanings does “dissect” have?
“Dissect” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to cut open a body, plant, or organism to examine its internal structure.
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