medical examiner

noun

: a usually appointed public officer whose duties are similar to those of a coroner but who is typically required to have specific medical training (as in pathology) and is qualified to conduct medical examinations and autopsies

Examples of medical examiner in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The husband and wife were transported to the medical examiner’s office for an autopsy and further examination. —Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026

Saturday morning, according to Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. —Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026

The Dallas County medical examiner’s office will determine the man’s cause of death. —Timia Cobb, Dallas Morning News, 24 Feb. 2026

The county medical examiner announced later December that due to a court order, information about the cause and manner of death for the Reiners would no longer be available. —Paris Barraza, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for medical examiner

• interlaminar
• laminar

Medical Definition

medical examiner

noun

1

: a usually appointed public officer with duties similar to those of a coroner but who is required to have specific medical training (as in pathology) and is qualified to conduct medical examinations and autopsies

2

: a physician employed to make medical examinations (as of applicants for military service or of claimants of workers' compensation)

3

: a physician appointed to examine and license candidates for the practice of medicine in a political jurisdiction (as a state)

Legal Definition

medical examiner

noun

med·​i·​cal examiner

: a public officer who determines the necessity of and conducts autopsies