verb

dissect

dih-SEHKT

verb

To cut open a body, plant, or organism to examine its internal structure.

"Students dissected a frog in biology class."

To examine something in minute detail, piece by piece.

"Commentators spent hours dissecting the president's speech."

"The critics dissected every scene of the film."

How to Use Dissect

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo cut something apart to look inside it, or to analyse something piece by piece.

Common pairings

dissect a frog dissect an argument dissect the data

dissected past tense, dissects singular

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Students _____ a frog in biology class.

From Latin dissecare, "to cut apart," from dis- ("apart") + secare ("to cut") — related to "section."