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

Anatomic dissections were controversial in Europe and the U.S. for centuries because medical students often robbed fresh graves to study cadavers. —Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024

The carcass was in remarkably good condition and appeared in a region of New Zealand that allowed researchers to perform the first-ever dissection of the species. —Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024

Its third and latest season offers a sharp dissection of how work can become an obsession, the false promises of ethical investing, and the endless cycle of avarice to which stockbrokers (and perhaps the rest of us) belong. —Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2024

Vertebral Artery Dissection Vertebral artery dissection (VAD) is a tear in the inner lining of the vertebral artery, a major artery in the neck that brings blood to the brain and spine. —Sarah Bradley, Health, 17 Jan. 2025

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