Word
dissect
Phoneticsdis·sect, stress on the second syllable
US/daɪˈsɛkt/
UK/dˈaɪsɛkt/
Definition
v. to cut open a body or an object to look at its parts. You usually do this to learn about how something works or to find a problem.
v. to cut open a body or object to examine its internal structure or to analyze a subject in detail. Often used in medical, surgical, or academic contexts.
Examples
“The surgeon will dissect the tissue to find the cause of the infection.”
“During the biology class, the students had to dissect a frog to understand its internal organs.”
“The forensic team carefully dissected the evidence to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the structural failure of the bridge.”
Examples
simple
“The surgeon will dissect the tissue to find the cause of the infection.”
contextual
“During the biology class, the students had to dissect a frog to understand its internal organs.”
complex
“The forensic team carefully dissected the evidence to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the structural failure of the bridge.”
Real-World Examples
“Each appearance, commission and production has been dissected: there have been blockbuster hits, much-publicised misses and some brutal reviews along the way.” “The merits or otherwise of these opinions will now be dissected and analysed - and Carrick knows it.” “The bodies of women were sometimes dissected but rarely reported.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin dissectus past participle of dissecare (“to cut asunder, cut up”), from dis- (“asunder”) + secare (“to cut”); see section.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/dissect