autopsy

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'autopsy' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to an examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death. For example: "The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was a heart attack."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He was killed by six gunshot wounds to the chest, arm and back, an autopsy found.

The Guardian

After this, the autopsy gets into its stride.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

A 65-year-old man died after sleeping under an LLIN.' But they didn't have the autopsy, they didn't know his medical history, they had just reacted and were running after the story".

The Guardian

Related: Pasco autopsy contradicts police account that victim was not shot in back Zambrano-Montes, an orchard worker living in Pasco, Washington, was shot dead by local police on 10 February after he was reportedly seen throwing rocks at traffic.

The Guardian

Small protests in Pasco continued over the weekend as an independent autopsy argued Zambrano-Montes was shot twice from behind, in direct contradiction to police statements.

The Guardian

"We need to campaign among Hispanic, black, Asian and gay Americans and demonstrate that we care about them, too," the election autopsy report, drafted by the most respected committee members and operatives, read.

The Guardian - Opinion

They have also seen pictures of the autopsy for the first time, showing Hazell's body "riddled with massive holes, like a Swiss cheese", said Joe.

The Guardian

Another is a sound recording of a double autopsy of two murder victims.

The Guardian - Arts

An internal CIA review and autopsy assessed he likely died from hypothermia – "in part from having been forced to sit on the bare concrete floor without pants".

The Guardian

There are several contemporary accounts of Richard's demise, but an autopsy on his skeleton showed 11 injuries, nine to the head.

The Guardian - Film

Lake County coroner Thomas Rudd said in a statement that his autopsy had determined Howell suffered two "penetrating gunshot wounds on the torso" – one on the left that penetrated his spleen, liver and heart, and the other on the right that penetrated tissue and his right shoulder.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "autopsy" metaphorically to mean thorough analysis, as in 'an "autopsy" of the failed project revealed several critical errors'. Ensure the context clearly indicates this non-literal usage.

Common error

Avoid using "autopsy" when you mean "biopsy". An "autopsy" is performed after death, whereas a "biopsy" is the removal of tissue from a living person for examination.

Linguistic Context

The noun "autopsy" functions primarily as a subject or object, denoting a dissection performed on a cadaver to determine the cause of death. Ludwig confirms this usage is grammatically sound and widely accepted.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "autopsy" is a grammatically correct and very common noun referring to the post-mortem examination of a body. As Ludwig AI confirms, this term is primarily used in news, scientific, and formal contexts. When you are talking about a post-mortem examination, semantically related terms include "post-mortem examination" and "necropsy". A common error is confusing "autopsy" with "biopsy". Be sure to use the correct term, that means use "autopsy" for examinations performed after death and "biopsy" for procedures involving tissue removal from a living subject. By understanding its function, purpose, and common errors, you can effectively use "autopsy" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

post-mortem examination

Formal alternative emphasizing the 'after death' aspect.

necropsy

A more technical, scientific term for "autopsy".

postmortem

Shorter and more common synonym for examination after death.

internal examination

Focuses on the procedural aspect of inspecting the body.

cause-of-death investigation

Highlights the purpose of determining how someone died.

after-death investigation

Emphasizes the temporal aspect of the investigation.

cadaveric dissection

Highlights the act of dissecting a cadaver.

detailed analysis

Broader term that can refer to analysis of events or processes, not just bodies.

post-event analysis

Focuses on dissecting events or processes, similar to a retrospective.

critical review

An analysis performed to identify weakness of process or event.

FAQs

How is an "autopsy" performed?

An "autopsy" involves a thorough external and internal examination of a body, often including microscopic and toxicological analyses, to determine the cause of death. The specific procedures can vary based on the circumstances of the death and the goals of the investigation.

What is the difference between an "autopsy" and a postmortem examination?

The terms "autopsy" and "postmortem examination" are generally used interchangeably to describe the examination of a body after death to determine the cause of death.

What are some reasons for performing an "autopsy"?

Reasons for performing an "autopsy" include determining the cause of death, advancing medical knowledge, identifying public health threats, and providing evidence in legal cases.

When might a "detailed analysis" be used instead of "autopsy"?

While "autopsy" typically refers to examining a body, "detailed analysis" can be used when referring to the thorough examination of processes, events, or systems to understand failures or outcomes.