Diagnostic Procedure
autopsy Audio
au·top·sy [ aw-top-see, aw-tuh p- ]
Subclass of:
Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Investigative Techniques; Forensic Medicine
Etymology:
Greek autos = self + opsis = to look at
Previously denoted the observations a physician made of the patient, in contrast to the historia, supplied by the patient.
Definitions related to autopsy:
  • A postmortem examination of the body that includes an examination of the internal organs and structures after dissection to determine the cause of death and the nature of pathological changes.
    NCI Thesaurus
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Postmortem examination of the body.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
  • Surgically opening and examining a body after death to see if any diseases are present and to determine the cause of death.
    Harvard Dictionary of Health Terms
    Harvard Medical Publishing, 2011
  • Autopsy, dissection and examination of a dead body and its organs and structures. An autopsy may be performed to determine the cause of death, to observe the effects of disease, and to establish the evolution and mechanisms of disease processes. The word autopsy is derived from the Greek autopsia...
    Encyclopedia Britannica
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
Try this search on: Farlex, Merriam-Webster, Oxford Dictionary, or Wordnik

This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.