noun
Uncommon
autopsy
AW-top-see
Autopsy (noun) means a medical examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death. Example: “The coroner ordered an autopsy to confirm how the victim died.”
noun
1
A medical examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death.
"The coroner ordered an autopsy to confirm how the victim died."
"The autopsy revealed traces of poison in the victim's blood."
2
A detailed review of something after it has gone wrong, to figure out what caused the failure.
"The team held a post-mortem autopsy on the failed product launch."
How to use autopsy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA close examination after death (or after a failure) to work out exactly what happened.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
perform an autopsy
order an autopsy
autopsy report
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Word forms
- Plural
- autopsies
- Third person singular
- autopsies
- Past tense
- autopsied
Fill the gap
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The coroner ordered an _____ to confirm how the victim died.
Etymology
From New Latin autopsia, from Greek autopsía, "seeing with one's own eyes" — from autós ("self") and the root behind "-opsy" ("seeing").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for autopsy
See all rhymes for 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.
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