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Origin and history of dissection

dissection(n.)

1580s, "operation of cutting open or separating into parts," from French dissection (16c.) or directly from Medieval Latin dissectionem (nominative dissectio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin dissecare "cut in pieces," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + secare "to cut" (from PIE root *sek- "to cut"). Meaning "process of cutting open an animal or plant for examination of organs and tissues" is from c. 1600. Transferred sense of "act of separating anything into distinct parts for critical examination" is from 1640s.

also from 1580s

Entries linking to dissection

dissect(v.)

c. 1600, "cut in pieces," from Latin dissectus, past participle of dissecare"cut in pieces," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + secare "to cut" (from PIE root *sek- "to cut"). Or perhaps a back-formation from dissection. Specifically as "separate the distinct parts of an animal or plant for the purpose of studying its organization and functions or its morbid affections" from 1610s. Transferred sense of "examine part by part or point by point" is from 1630s. Related: Dissected; dissecting.

vivisection(n.)

"dissection of a living animal" to investigate some physiological or pathological process not otherwise observable scientifically, 1690s, from Latin vivus "alive" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live") + ending from dissection. Related: Vivisectionist; vivisectional.

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anatomy
late 14c., "study or knowledge of the structure and function of the human body" (learned by dissection); c. 1400, "anatomical...structure," from Old French anatomie and directly from Late Latin anatomia, from late Greek anatomia for classical anatomē "dissection..."Dissection" (1540s), "mummy" (1580s), and "skeleton" (1590s) were primary senses of this word in Shakespeare's day; the...
necrotomy
"dissection of dead bodies," 1821; see necro- "corpse" -tomy "a cutting." Necrotomy....analogous to those of the English language and ... is equivalent to the Latin sectio cadaveris, and literally signifies the dissection...
autopsy
The sense of "dissection of a body to determine cause of death" is recorded from 1670s, probably from the same sense in French...
Burke
" it is abstracted from William Burk, executed in Edinburgh 1829 for murdering several persons to sell their bodies for dissection...
idealism
They no more make that Whole which commands our devotion, than some shredded dissection of human tatters is that warm and...
body
Body-snatcher "one who secretly disinters the bodies of the recently dead for dissection" is from 1834....
analysis
1580s, "resolution of anything complex into simple elements" (opposite of synthesis), from Medieval Latin analysis (15c.), from Greek analysis "solution of a problem by analysis," literally "a breaking up, a loosening, releasing," noun of action from analyein "unloose, release, s
cut
c. 1300, "to make, with an edged tool or instrument, an incision in; make incisions for the purpose of dividing into two or more parts; remove by means of a cutting instrument;" of an implement, "have a cutting edge," according to Middle English Compendium from a presumed Old Eng
cutting
c. 1400, "penetrating or dividing by an edge," present-participle adjective from cut (v.). As "wounding or deeply affecting the feelings," 1580s. Related: Cuttingly. Cutting-edge is by 1825 in the literal sense "cutting surface of a blade or tool" (often at first with reference t
obvious
1580s, "frequently met with" (a sense now obsolete), from Latin obvius "that is in the way, presenting itself readily, open, exposed, commonplace," from obviam (adv.) "in the way," from ob "in front of, against" (see ob-) + viam, accusative of via "way" (from PIE root *wegh- "to

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