coroner

noun

cor·​o·​ner ˈkȯr-ə-nər 

ˈkär-

: a usually elected public officer who is typically not required to have specific medical qualifications and whose principal duty is to inquire by an inquest into the cause of any death which there is reason to suppose is not due to natural causes compare medical examiner

Examples of coroner in a Sentence

The coroner examined the body but found no evidence of foul play.

Recent Examples on the Web

At least 10 people have died in the fire, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office and the Sheriff’s Department. —Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2025

Eight of the deaths were attributed to the fire near the Palisades and 16 resulted from the fire near Altadena, the Los Angeles County coroner's office said in a statement Saturday evening. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 13 Jan. 2025

Out of the 24 deaths, 16 were caused by the Eaton Fire and eight by the Palisades Fire, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said in an update late Sunday. —Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 13 Jan. 2025

Sixteen of the 24 deaths were attributed to the Eaton Fire and eight to the Palisades Fire, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. —Marc Sternfield, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English corowner, coronour "local officer of the crown charged with supervision of royal pleas," borrowed from Anglo-French coroner, corouner, from corone, coroune crown entry 1 + -er -er entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

coroner

noun

cor·​o·​ner ˈkȯr-ə-nər 

ˈkär-

: a public officer whose chief duty is to discover the cause of any death possibly not due to natural causes

Medical Definition

coroner

noun

cor·​o·​ner ˈkȯr-ə-nər, ˈkär- 

: a usually elected public officer who is typically not required to have specific medical qualifications and whose principal duty is to inquire by an inquest into the cause of any death which there is reason to suppose is not due to natural causes see medical examiner sense 1

Legal Definition

coroner

noun

cor·​o·​ner ˈkȯr-ə-nər 

: a public officer whose principal duty is to inquire by an inquest into the cause of death when there is reason to think the death may not be due to natural causes

Etymology

Anglo-French, recorder of crown pleas, from corone crown