Post-mortem examinations of bodies to determine cause of death or investigate disease, typically performed by medical professionals.
From Greek 'autopsia' meaning 'seeing with one's own eyes,' combining 'autos' (self) and 'opsis' (sight). The term entered medical Latin in the 17th century, emphasizing direct observation rather than theoretical speculation about death.
The Greek root reveals medicine's evolution from superstition to empirical observation—literally 'seeing for oneself' rather than accepting traditional explanations. Modern CSI shows have made autopsies familiar to the public, but the word still carries its ancient emphasis on firsthand examination as the path to truth.
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