English Explanatory Dictionary

dissect

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To study an animal's anatomy by cutting it apart; to perform a necropsy or an autopsy.
  2. To study a plant's or other organism's anatomy similarly.
  3. To analyze an idea in detail by delineating between its parts.
  4. To decontextualize an idea, especially through overanalysis by delineating between its parts too strongly based on style, usually involving pedantry, at the expense of substance.
  5. To separate muscles, organs, etc. without cutting into them or disrupting their architecture.
  6. Of an infection or foreign material, following the fascia separating muscles or other organs.

Pronunciation

/dɪˈsɛkt/ /daɪˈsɛkt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-dissect.wav

Word forms

dissect dissects dissecting dissected

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dissectus past participle of dissecare (“to cut asunder, cut up”), from dis- (“asunder”) + secare (“to cut”); see section.

Synonyms

contextomize

Related words

dissection

Derived words

cryodissect dissectability dissectable dissecter dissecting microscope dissective dissector equidissectable hydrodissect immunodissect macrodissected microdissect microdissected nondissected predissected redissect stereodissecting subdissect undissected
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