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 of dissection

• 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

From archival footage to interviews with former employees and insiders, The Reckoning presents a layered portrait of a mogul who once built an empire—and now, from prison, faces its public dissection. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025

The best British short film award went to Magid / Zafar, a dissection of the relationship between two men amid rising tensions in a British-Pakistani takeaway restaurant from director Luís Hindman. —Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 30 Nov. 2025

Fans have been tearing the new Springfield Island map apart to unearth Easter eggs and hidden gags, including a full dissection of the notorious wonky house that the family inhabits. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2025

John died in 2003 at the age of 54 from an aortic dissection that was originally misdiagnosed as a heart attack. —Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 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