# dissect

/daɪˈsɛkt/ (US) · /dˈaɪsɛkt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dissect
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.