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
• examination
• investigation

Examples of dissection in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Mussolini is at once an incisive psychological portrait of one of the 20th century’s most destructive individuals and a clear-eyed dissection of fascism’s politically expedient, intellectually incoherent origins. —Judy Berman, Time, 29 Sep. 2025

After having already staved off throat cancer a decade prior, Dimon experienced an acute aortic dissection, or a tear in the inner layer of the body’s main artery, and had to rush to the hospital. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025

Bogdan, who researches bee visual processing and bee intelligence, anesthetizes bees before dissection as a matter of protocol, though he is not required to by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. —Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025

State-of-the-art resources include the SynDaver Synthetic Cadaver Lab, an Anatomage Table anatomy visualization system enabling virtual human dissection and an Advanced Laerdal Haptic IV Trainer for intravenous techniques practice. —Shawn Price, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dissection

• abjection
• advection
• affection
• bijection
• bisection
• collection
• complexion
• confection
• connection
• connexion
• convection
• correction

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