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Where does the word "autopsy" come from? It comes from Greek autopsia, and was adopted directly into English (1650s).
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Where does the word "autopsy" come from? It comes from Greek autopsia, and was adopted directly into English (1650s).
Autopsy’s story begins in Greek: autopsia meant “seeing for oneself.” Literally a seeing with one's own eyes, from autos (self) and opsis (sight). It reached English by 1650s as autopsy. Narrowed to mean a medical examination of a body after death. Today, autopsy means a medical examination of a body after death to determine the cause.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient autopsia "seeing for oneself", literally a seeing with one's own eyes, from autos (self) and opsis (sight).
- Stage 2 · English · 1650s autopsy "a medical examination of a body after death", narrowed to mean a medical examination of a body after death.