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

He was later identified as Kenyae Franklin, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. —Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026

The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office responded to the scene following the discovery, police said. —Jasmine Mendez follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026

That inmate was later identified by the Coroner’s Office as Donnell Cox; medical examiners deemed his death was by natural causes. —Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026

Long Beach police noted in their latest statement that there have been no new updates in the case as of Monday morning and that authorities are awaiting the response of the medical examiner’s office's forensic anthropologist team. —David Chiu, PEOPLE, 6 Apr. 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