anatomy

anat·o·my

noun \ə-ˈna-tə-mē\

plural anat·o·mies

Definition of ANATOMY

1

: a branch of morphology that deals with the structure of organisms

2

: a treatise on anatomical science or art

3

: the art of separating the parts of an organism in order to ascertain their position, relations, structure, and function : dissection

4

obsolete : a body dissected or to be dissected

5

: structural makeup especially of an organism or any of its parts

6

: a separating or dividing into parts for detailed examination : analysis

7

a (1) : skeleton (2) : mummy

b : the human body

— an·a·tom·i·cal \ˌa-nə-ˈtä-mi-kəl\ or an·a·tom·ic \-ˈtä-mik\ adjective

— an·a·tom·i·cal·ly \-mi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Examples of ANATOMY

1. We had to take a class on anatomy.
2. learning about the anatomies of different types of birds
3. learning about the anatomy of an earthquake

Origin of ANATOMY

Late Latin anatomia dissection, from Greek anatomē, from anatemnein to dissect, from ana- + temnein to cut

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to ANATOMY

Synonyms

anatomizing, analysis, assay, breakdown, deconstruction, dissection

Related Words

assessment, diagnosis, evaluation, examination, inspection, investigation, muster, scrutiny; arrangement, assortment, cataloging (or cataloguing), categorization, classification, codification, indexing; enumeration, inventory, itemization, tabulation; division, reduction, segmentation, separation, subdivision

Near Antonyms

agglomeration, aggregation, amalgamation, assimilation, coalescence, conglomeration, consolidation, integration, synthesis, unification

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, supine, thoracic, ventral

anat·o·my

noun \ə-ˈnat-ə-mē\   (Medical Dictionary)

plural ; anat·o·mies

Medical Definition of ANATOMY

1

: a branch of morphology that deals with the structure of organisms—compare physiology 1

2

: a treatise on anatomic science or art

3

: the art of separating the parts of an organism in order to ascertain their position, relations, structure, and function : dissection

4

: structural makeup especially of an organism or any of its parts

anatomy

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Biological field that deals with bodily structures as revealed by dissection. Herophilus first laid the factual groundwork for gross anatomy, the study of structures large enough to see without a microscope. Galen's ideas were the authority for anatomy in Europe until Andreas Vesalius's methods placed it on a firm foundation of observed fact. The microscope permitted the discovery of tiny structures (e.g., capillaries and cells), the subject of microscopic anatomy. Crucial advances in this area—including the microtome, which slices specimens into extremely thin sections, and staining—led to the new fields of cytology and histology. Electron microscopy opened up the study of subcellular structures, and X-ray diffraction gave rise to the new subspecialty of molecular anatomy. Comparative anatomy compares similar structures in different animals to see how they have changed with evolution.