What does necropsy mean?
A necropsy is a post-mortem examination of an animal, carried out to identify disease, injury, or other causes of death. It commonly involves opening the body, examining the organs, and collecting tissue or other samples for laboratory analysis. Although the term is especially associated with veterinary work, it can also be used more generally for any post-mortem examination. In ordinary discussion, 'autopsy' is more familiar, particularly for the examination of a human body, while 'necropsy' has a more technical and frequently animal-focused association. The word is useful when discussing veterinary diagnosis, animal disease, wildlife mortality, and scientific investigation. It comes from Greek roots meaning 'dead' and 'examination', reflecting its role as the structured inspection of a body after death.
nounA necropsy is the post-mortem examination of an animal, involving the inspection and analysis of its body and organs to determine the cause of death. The term can also be used more generally for a post-mortem examination.
- The post-mortem examination of an animal.
- More generally, a post-mortem examination.
"The veterinarian performed a necropsy to determine why the bird had suddenly died."
"The necropsy revealed severe inflammation around the animal's heart."
"The report described the necropsy and concluded that starvation had caused the death."
The plural is formed by changing the final y to ies.
"The laboratory documented necropsies of several animals affected by the disease."
A necropsy is an autopsy with four legs: it reveals what ended an animal's life when the animal can no longer tell the story.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does necropsy come from?
The word is a formal scientific term formed from Greek nekros, meaning 'dead', and opsis, meaning 'examination' or 'view'. It developed as a term for the systematic examination of a dead body, especially an animal's body, and is related to words such as necrosis, necrotic, and necropolis that also draw on the Greek element nekros.
Related word forms
How necropsy is actually used
The word is most often used in veterinary and biological contexts. In general usage, it may refer to any post-mortem examination, but it is especially associated with the examination of animals. It is more technical than the everyday expression 'post-mortem'.
Easily confused with necropsy
A necropsy is generally an autopsy of an animal, whereas an autopsy most commonly refers to the post-mortem examination of a human.