autopsy

From New Latin autopsia, from Ancient Greek αὐτοψῐ́ᾱ (autopsíā, “seeing with one's own eyes”).

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: ô'tŏp"sē, IPA^(key): /ˈɔːˌtɒpsiː/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɔˌtɑpsi/
• Hyphenation: au‧top‧sy

autopsy (plural autopsies)

1. A dissection performed on a cadaver to find possible cause(s) of death.
2. An after-the-fact examination, especially of the causes of a failure.
3. (rare) An eyewitness observation, the presentation of an event as witnessed.

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

• (dissection of a cadaver): necropsy, necrotomy; postmortem
• (after the fact examination): postmortem

autopsy (third-person singular simple present autopsies, present participle autopsying, simple past and past participle autopsied)

1. (transitive) To perform an autopsy on.
2. (transitive) To perform an after-the-fact analysis of, especially of a failure.

• outpays, payouts