autopsy
6 synonyms for autopsy, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A medical examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use autopsy
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
perform an autopsy
order an autopsy
autopsy report
Etymology
From New Latin autopsia, from Greek autopsía, "seeing with one's own eyes" — from autós ("self") and the root behind "-opsy" ("seeing").
Full origin of autopsy →Frequently asked questions
What does “autopsy” mean?
The word “autopsy” means a medical examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death. In plain terms, a close examination after death (or after a failure) to work out exactly what happened.
How do you pronounce “autopsy”?
“Autopsy” is pronounced AW-top-see (/ˈɔ.tɑp.si/ in IPA).
How do you use “autopsy” in a sentence?
Here is “autopsy” used in a sentence: “The coroner ordered an autopsy to confirm how the victim died.”
What part of speech is “autopsy”?
“Autopsy” is a noun.
Where does the word “autopsy” come from?
The word “autopsy” comes from New Latin. From New Latin autopsia, from Greek autopsía, "seeing with one's own eyes" — from autós ("self") and the root behind "-opsy" ("seeing").
Is “autopsy” a common word?
“Autopsy” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “autopsy” have?
“Autopsy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a medical examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death.
What is the difference between an autopsy and a post-mortem?
Autopsy and post-mortem examination refer to the same medical procedure of examining a dead body to determine the cause of death. Post-mortem is more common in British English, while autopsy is more common in American English. The two terms are used interchangeably in medical and legal settings.
Why would an autopsy be performed?
An autopsy is performed to determine the cause of death, which may be legally required in cases of sudden, violent, or unexplained death. It can also confirm or rule out a suspected medical condition or support research. Findings may be used in legal investigations or shared with the family.
What does 'autopsy' mean outside of medicine?
Outside medicine, an autopsy refers to a detailed review of something after it has gone wrong, aimed at identifying what caused the failure. This usage is common in business and technology, such as an autopsy of a failed project or system outage. The goal is learning from mistakes rather than assigning blame.
