What does autopsied mean?
"Autopsied" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "autopsy," meaning to have systematically examined the body of a deceased person or animal through dissection, typically to determine the cause of death or the presence and nature of disease. The procedure itself is known as an autopsy or post-mortem examination, and the word "autopsied" appears most often in medical, forensic, legal, and journalistic writing — for instance, "the medical examiner autopsied the body the following morning." The term derives from the Greek roots "autos" (self) and "opsis" (a seeing), literally suggesting "seeing for oneself." While precise and authoritative in professional contexts, the word has inherently somber connotations because of its association with death investigation, so it is rarely used outside formal or technical settings. Related forms include "biopsy," which involves examining tissue from a living body rather than a corpse.
verbPast tense and past participle of "autopsy": to have examined the body of a dead person in order to determine the cause of death or the nature of disease.
- To examine the corpse of a person or animal by dissection in order to determine the cause of death or the nature of any disease.
"The pathologist autopsied the remains to establish the cause of death."
"After the unexpected death, the coroner autopsied the body within twenty-four hours."
"In veterinary pathology courses, students autopsied dozens of animals to learn diagnostic technique."
The word "autopsy" comes from Greek meaning "to see for oneself" — so when a pathologist autopsies a body, they are literally seeing it with their own eyes rather than trusting anyone else's account.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of autopsied
"Autopsied" derives from "autopsy," formed from the Greek "autos" (self) and "opsis" (a seeing), via the Greek "autopsia" meaning "a seeing with one's own eyes." The noun entered English in the mid-17th century, initially referring to eyewitness observation before narrowing in the 19th century to mean post-mortem dissection; the verb followed later. It shares the Greek root "opsis" with words such as "biopsy" and "optic," and "autos" with terms like "autobiography."
Related word forms
How autopsied is actually used
"Autopsied" is a technical, clinical term used mainly in medical, forensic, legal, and journalistic contexts; it carries a neutral register but may sound grim in casual conversation. It is almost always used transitively — the subject is the examiner and the object is the body.
Easily confused with autopsied
"Autopsy" is a noun naming the examination itself, while "autopsied" is the verb form describing the act of performing one.
"Biopsied" refers to removing tissue from a living body for examination, whereas "autopsied" refers to examining a dead body.