Dissection vs. Transection — What's the Difference?

Dissection (from Latin dissecare "to cut to pieces"; also called anatomization) is the dismembering of the body of a deceased animal or plant to study its anatomical structure. Autopsy is used in pathology and forensic medicine to determine the cause of death in humans.

To divide by cutting transversely.

The act or an instance of dissecting.

A usually straight line along which measurements or observations are made at regular intervals, as for purposes of ecological study.

Something that has been dissected, such as a tissue specimen under study.

(surgery) A transverse cut or division.

A detailed examination or analysis.

(surgery) The creation of a transverse cut or division.

The act of dissecting, or something dissected

A minute and detailed examination or analysis

(medicine) surgical removal

The act of dissecting an animal or plant; as, dissection of the human body was held sacrilege till the time of Francis I.

Fig.: The act of separating or dividing for the purpose of critical examination.

Anything dissected; especially, some part, or the whole, of an animal or plant dissected so as to exhibit the structure; an anatomical so prepared.

Cutting so as to separate into pieces

A minute and critical analysis

Detailed part-by-part critical analysis or examination as of a literary work