necropsy

From necro- +‎ -opsy.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈnɛkɹɒpsi/, /nɪˈkɹɒpsi/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈnɛkɹɑpsi/
• Hyphenation: nec‧rop‧sy

necropsy (plural necropsies)

1. (medicine) The pathological examination of a corpse, particularly to determine cause of death. [from 19th c.]
   • 1997, Roy Porter, The Greatest Benefit to Mankind, Folio Society 2016, p. 255:

     Anatomy theory led to morbid anatomy in necropsy studies pursued by, among others, Johann Wepfer (1620–95) and Théophile Bonet (1620–89), both Swiss.

   • 2011, Siddhartha Mukherjee, The Emperor of all Maladies, Fourth Estate 2011, p. 13:

     During the necropsy, he pored carefully through the body, combing the tissues and organs for signs of an abscess or wound.

• The term necropsy is usually used for animals, with autopsy reserved for human beings.

• autopsy
• post-mortem

necropsy (third-person singular simple present necropsies, present participle necropsying, simple past and past participle necropsied)

1. The act of performing a necropsy.