autopsy

Meanings

Noun

• A dissection performed on a cadaver to find possible cause(s) of death.
• An after-the-fact examination, especially of the causes of a failure.
• An eyewitness observation, the presentation of an event as witnessed.

Verb

• To perform an autopsy on.
• To perform an after-the-fact analysis of, especially of a failure.

Related

Similar words

• necropsy, necrotomy; postmortem
• postmortem

Origin

• From New Latin autopsia, from Ancient Greek αὐτοψῐ́ᾱ ("seeing with one's own eyes").