Post mortem Meaning and Definition
Post mortem
Pronunciation
/ˈpɒs ˈmɔːrtɛm/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
A detailed examination of the circumstances surrounding a person’s death, usually conducted by a pathologist or other medical professional.
Etymology
From Latin post mortem, “after death”, combining post, “after” and mortem, “of death”.
Usage Notes
Post mortem examinations are often performed to determine the cause of death, identify any medical or traumatic factors that may have contributed to it, and provide information for the coroner’s report or for legal proceedings.
Cultural References
In popular culture, post mortem examinations have been featured in TV shows and movies such as “House” and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”, where they play a crucial role in solving mysterious deaths.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
- Necropsy is often used interchangeably with post mortem examination, although necropsy specifically refers to the examination of an animal’s body.
Related Words or Phrases
- Autopsy
- Morgue
Collocations
Post mortem examination is often collocated with words such as “forensic”, “medical”, “pathological”, and “autopsy”.
Frequency of Use
Post mortem examinations are relatively rare in everyday language, but they are commonly used in medical and legal contexts.
Common Misspellings
- Post mortem is often misspelled as “post morom”, “post morium”, or “post mortium”.