autopsy Meaning, Definition & Usage
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noun an examination and dissection of a dead body to determine cause of death or the changes produced by disease
postmortem examination; post-mortem; necropsy; post-mortem examination; postmortem; PM.
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verb perform an autopsy on a dead body; do a post-mortem
WordNet
Au"top*sy noun
Etymology
Gr. , fr. seen by one's self; self + seen: cf. F.Definitions
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Personal observation or examination; seeing with one's own eyes; ocular view. By autopsy and experiment. Cudworth.
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(Med.) Dissection of a dead body, for the purpose of ascertaining the cause, seat, or nature of a disease; a post-mortem examination.