anatomy

noun

anat·​o·​my ə-ˈna-tə-mē 

plural anatomies

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

the anatomy of birds

human anatomy

6

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

the anatomy of a marriage

7

a(1)

: skeleton

(2)

: mummy

b

: the human body

wore an outfit that showed off various parts of her anatomy

Synonyms of anatomy

• analysis
• examination
• investigation

Examples of anatomy in a Sentence

We had to take a class on anatomy.

learning about the anatomies of different types of birds

learning about the anatomy of an earthquake

Recent Examples on the Web

Its extraordinary anatomy and behavior only evolved in response to the unique challenges of life on the forest floor. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026

The company also flags baseline cardiac disease, abnormal ECG, arrhythmia, prior cervical vagotomy, abnormal cervical anatomy, brain tumor or aneurysm history, head trauma, syncope, seizures and nickel allergy as unevaluated risks. —Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026

The National Museum of Natural History (MNHN) in Paris has a collection of 236 teeth for comparative anatomy research, which Sanz-Royo and her colleagues examined closely to learn what kinds of marks form on teeth during a lifetime of chewing tough grasses mixed with dust and grit. —ArsTechnica, 2 June 2026

But those headlines mostly focused on the actor’s complaints about an 11-year-old Esquire profile that portrayed him as a talented young star but also arrogant and full of himself, with the writer using a slur for the male anatomy to sum up his personality. —Martha Ross, Mercury News, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing anatomy

• gross anatomy

Rhymes for anatomy

• neuroanatomy

Kids Definition

anatomy

noun

anat·​o·​my ə-ˈnat-ə-mē 

plural anatomies

1

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

also : a book on bodily structure

2

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

anatomic

ˌan-ə-ˈtäm-ik

adjective

or anatomical

-ˈtäm-i-kəl

anatomically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

anatomy

noun

anat·​o·​my ə-ˈnat-ə-mē 

plural anatomies

1

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