WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
pro•sec•tor
(prō sek′tər),USA pronunciation n.
pro•sec•to•ri•al
(prō′sek tôr′ē əl, -tōr′-),USA pronunciation adj.
pro•sec′tor•ship′, n.
- a person who dissects cadavers for the illustration of anatomical lectures or the like.
- Medicinea person who performs autopsies to establish the cause of death or the nature and seat of disease.
- Late Latin: anatomist, literally, one who cuts in public (or beforehand), equivalent. to Latin prōsec(āre) to cut out (body organs) in public sacrifice (see pro-1, sect) + -tor -tor
- 1855–60;
'prosector' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):