necropsy
Upper-Intermediate (B2)
IPA: /nɛˈkrɒpsi/
KK: /nɛˈkrɒpsi/
noun
Definition
A medical examination of a dead animal to determine the cause of death.
Example
The veterinarian performed a necropsy to find out why the animal had died.
Conversation
Did you hear about the dog that passed away at the shelter?
Yeah, I heard they did a necropsy to find out what happened.
That's so sad; I hope it helps them prevent future cases.
I agree, it's important to understand these things for the animals' sake.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
autopsy
dissection
examination
Antonyms
treatment
care
healing
verb
Definition
To perform an examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death.
Example
The veterinarian decided to necropsy the animal to find out what had caused its sudden death.
Tense Forms
Past: necropsied
Past Participle: necropsied
Conversation
Did you hear about the unexpected death of that animal at the zoo?
Yeah, I heard they will need to necropsy it to find out what happened.
That makes sense; it’s important to know the cause.
Root Explanation
Necropsy → It is formed from "necro-" (from Greek "nekros", meaning dead body) and "-opsy" (from Greek "opsis", meaning sight or view). The word "necropsy" refers to the examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death.
Memory Tip
Think of 'necro-' meaning 'dead body' and '-opsy' meaning 'viewing' — this helps you remember that necropsy is the examination of a dead body.
Visually Confused Words
cecrops