English Reference

Word

mortem

/ˈmɔɹtəm/

Definition

n. an examination of a body after death to find out why the person died. It can also mean a careful study of why a project or plan failed.

n. an examination of a corpse to determine the cause of death, or a detailed analysis of a recently completed event or failed project. Often used as a shortened form of 'post-mortem'.

Examples

“The team held a mortem to discuss why the software crashed.”

“After the election loss, the party leaders conducted a thorough mortem to identify where their campaign strategy went wrong.”

“The medical examiner performed a mortem to establish whether the victim had ingested any toxins prior to the accident.”

Examples

simple

“The team held a mortem to discuss why the software crashed.”

contextual

“After the election loss, the party leaders conducted a thorough mortem to identify where their campaign strategy went wrong.”

complex

“The medical examiner performed a mortem to establish whether the victim had ingested any toxins prior to the accident.”

Usage

Commonly appears in the compound 'post-mortem'; when used alone, it is often found in business or medical contexts.

Real-World Examples

“Russia's occupation authorities demand those deaths are confirmed by post mortem examination carried out by a Russian doctor, the BBC has been told.”
BBC News · 23 Sept 2026
“Gardaí said the bodies of the five teenage boys, all occupants of one vehicle, have now been removed from the scene and taken to Naas General Hospital where post mortems will take place.”
BBC News · 16 Aug 2026

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/mortem

English Reference