autopsy

word

/ˈɔˌtɑpsi/
AW-tahp-see
/ˈɔːtɒpsˌi/
AW-top-see

Definition

An autopsy is a medical examination of a dead body to find the cause of death or to study disease or injury. It is usually done by a specially trained doctor.

Usage & Nuances

This is a formal medical/legal noun, not an everyday casual word. Common patterns are 'perform an autopsy', 'order an autopsy', and 'the autopsy report'; in everyday conversation, many people also say 'post-mortem' in some regions.

Example Sentences

The doctor performed an autopsy on the body.

basic

The family asked for an autopsy.

basic

The autopsy showed that he died of heart disease.

basic

They are still waiting for the autopsy report before making a statement.

natural

The police ordered an autopsy to rule out foul play.

natural

Once the autopsy comes back, we should have more answers.

natural