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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Records from the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office cite McGowan’s cause of death as a gunshot wound to the head. —Lana Ferguson, Dallas News, 29 Mar. 2023

The Cook County medical examiner’s office has not publicly identified the man because his next of kin have yet to be notified of his death. —Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2023

The state medical examiner preliminarily ruled the manner of death as a homicide. —Bill Atkinson, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2023

The state medical examiner’s office could determine neither a cause nor manner of death, according to a report detailing the findings. —Dakin Andone, CNN, 15 Mar. 2023

The state medical examiner is working to determine Otieno's cause and manner of death. —Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2023

Fifteen people died in the sheriff’s custody in 2022, according to the Fulton County medical examiner’s office, compared to two or three in pre-pandemic years. —George Chidi, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2023

Fire Chief Roman Clark said Saturday that the cause of death is yet to be determined by the state medical examiner’s office, and that the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. —Dillon Mullan, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2023

The Multnomah County medical examiner’s office was investigating a possible hypothermia death that occurred in Portland on Wednesday, the county said, but whether the person died from the cold has not been confirmed. —Phil Helsel, NBC News, 24 Feb. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

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