autopsy

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun an examination and dissection of a dead body to determine cause of death or the changes produced by disease
  2. verb perform an autopsy on a dead body; do a post-mortem

Etymology

From New Latin autopsia, from Ancient Greek αὐτοψῐ́ᾱ (autopsĭ́ā, “seeing with one's own eyes”). By surface analysis, auto- + -opsy.

In classic literature

Synonyms

necropsy, postmortem, post-mortem, PM, postmortem examination, post-mortem examination

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