What does necropsy mean?
A necropsy is a post-mortem examination of an animal, typically performed by a veterinarian to determine the cause of death. It is similar to an autopsy in humans, but is often used in veterinary medicine to investigate the cause of death in animals. The necropsy may involve a physical examination of the animal's body, as well as laboratory tests to determine the cause of death. The results of the necropsy can provide valuable information to veterinarians and animal owners, and can help to prevent similar deaths in the future. Necropsy is an important tool in veterinary medicine, and is used to investigate a wide range of animal deaths, from sudden and unexpected deaths to deaths that occur over a longer period of time.
nounA post-mortem examination of an animal, especially a veterinary examination of a dead animal to determine the cause of death.
- A post-mortem examination of an animal, especially a veterinary examination of a dead animal to determine the cause of death.
"The veterinarian performed a necropsy to determine the cause of the horse's sudden death."
"The veterinarian performed a necropsy to determine the cause of the horse's sudden death."
"The necropsy revealed that the animal had died from a bacterial infection."
The plural form of necropsy is used to refer to multiple post-mortem examinations of animals.
"The veterinarian performed several necropsies to determine the cause of death in the animals."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of necropsy
The word 'necropsy' comes from the Greek words 'nekros', meaning 'dead', and 'opsis', meaning 'sight' or 'examination'. It is related to the word 'autopsy', which comes from the Greek words 'auto', meaning 'self', and 'opsis', meaning 'sight' or 'examination'.
Usage notes
Necropsy is often used in veterinary medicine to determine the cause of death in animals. It is similar to an autopsy in humans, but is typically performed by a veterinarian.