dissection

noun

dis·​sec·​tion dī-ˈsek-shən 

also

di-  ˈdī-ˌsek- 

1

: the act or process of dissecting : the state of being dissected

2

: an anatomical specimen prepared by dissecting

Synonyms

• analysis
• anatomizing
• anatomy
• assay
• breakdown
• deconstruction

Examples of dissection in a Sentence

the book's dissection of the problem of obesity in this country

Recent Examples on the Web

Rarest Whale Hailed as 'Unbelievable' in Once-in-a-Lifetime Study By Shannon McDonagh Freelance News Reporter 0 Scientists in New Zealand have begun a historic dissection of the rarest whale species in the world. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024

So now’s as good a time as any to catch up on this fascinating dissection of the Jedi Order and, yeah, some cool-ass lightsaber fights. —Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 20 July 2024

Bugout bags are an essential prepper accessory, subject to endless dissection and debate. —Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024

The vascular surgeon who calls at 11:45 p.m. says, after reading her father’s most recent CT angiogram, that the diffuse colitis was likely caused by mesenteric ischemia, which was caused by a thrombosis of the false lumen of an SMA dissection. —Weike Wang, The Atlantic, 26 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

dissection

noun

dis·​sec·​tion -ˈsek-shən 

-ˌsek-

1

: the act or process of dissecting : the state of being dissected

2

: a plant or animal or a part of one that has been dissected for study of the anatomy

Medical Definition

dissection

noun

dis·​sec·​tion dis-ˈek-shən; dī-ˈsek-  ˈdī-ˌ 

1

: the act or process of dissecting or separating: as

a

: the surgical removal along natural lines of cleavage of tissues which are or might become diseased

b

: the digital separation of tissues (as in heart-valve operations) compare finger fracture

c

: a pathological splitting or separation of tissue see aortic dissection

2

a

: something (as a part or the whole of an animal) that has been dissected

b

: an anatomical specimen prepared in this way