Part of Speech

"Autopsia" is a noun in Spanish.

Phonetic Transcription

The phonetic transcription using the International Phonetic Alphabet is /awˈtopsja/.

Translation Options into English

• Autopsy
• Post-mortem examination

Meaning and Usage

"Autopsia" refers to the examination of a body after death to determine the cause of death or the nature of any disease present. It is commonly used in medical contexts, particularly in forensic medicine and pathology. The term is relevant in both legal and medical discussions, particularly following unexpected or suspicious deaths.

In terms of frequency of use, "autopsia" is more frequently encountered in written contexts, such as medical reports, legal documents, or news articles, but it is also used in oral contexts, especially in discussions pertaining to healthcare or legal matters.

Example Sentences

1. La autopsia reveló que la causa de muerte fue un infarto.

2. The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was a heart attack.

3. Después de la autopsia, los médicos explicaron los hallazgos a la familia.

4. After the autopsy, the doctors explained the findings to the family.

5. La autopsia es crucial en casos de muerte sospechosa.

6. The autopsy is crucial in cases of suspicious death.

Idiomatic Expressions

While "autopsia" is not frequently found in idiomatic expressions, it can appear in contexts that refer to critical analysis or examination of situations or problems metaphorically.

Example Idiomatic Expressions

1. Hacer una autopsia a la situación.

2. To carry out an autopsy on the situation. (This means to conduct a thorough analysis of the given situation.)

3. Autopsia del fracaso.

4. Autopsy of failure. (This expression can imply a deep analysis of what went wrong in a particular endeavor.)

5. La autopsia de la relación mostró problemas que nunca se habían discutido.

6. The autopsy of the relationship unveiled problems that had never been discussed.

Etymology

The word "autopsia" originates from the Greek word "autopsía" (αὐτοψία), which means "seeing for oneself." It is composed of "auto," meaning "self," and "opsis," meaning "sight." The term was adopted into Latin as "autopsia" and then into Spanish.

Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms: - Necropsia (more often used in veterinary contexts) - Estudio post-mortem

Antonyms: - Vivisección (vivisection, though not a direct antonym, it contrasts the concepts of examining living versus dead subjects)

In legal and medical terms, there are no exact antonyms, but discussions about "living assessments" can serve as conceptual opposites to "autopsia."