postmortem

1 of 2

adjective

post·​mor·​tem ˌpōs(t)-ˈmȯr-təm How to pronounce postmortem (audio)
1
: done, occurring, or collected after death
postmortem tissue specimens
2
: following the event

postmortem

2 of 2

noun

1
2
: an analysis or discussion of an event after it is over

Examples of postmortem in a Sentence

Adjective postmortem tests on the brain tissue of people who had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease Noun A postmortem showed that the man had been poisoned. Party leaders are conducting a postmortem of the election to try to find out what went wrong.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
In recent years, that has appeared in postmortem blood samples of drug users in Europe and the U.S. Brian Spegele, WSJ, 22 Dec. 2022 The vertical occipital fasciculus, or VOF, is identified in a postmortem human brain in 1909, but labeled with a different name. Jenny Blair, Discover Magazine, 1 Oct. 2015 Another area ripe for new technology is postmortem facial reconstruction, used for identification purposes, which has traditionally been carried out by putting clay on skulls in a process known as forensic art. Rachel Pannett, WSJ, 30 Sep. 2020 Beer and his colleagues analyzed postmortem brain tissue from 56 patients in southeastern Germany’s state of Bavaria between 1999 and 2019. Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 8 Jan. 2020 Although treatments for these disorders remain elusive, postmortem brain tissue offers a key resource for unlocking possible solutions. Emily Toomey, Smithsonian, 21 Aug. 2019 In addition to studying postmortem tissue, imaging methods like MRIs offer alternative tools for investigating neurological conditions. Emily Toomey, Smithsonian, 21 Aug. 2019 Nearby, the researchers also found skulls apparently stuck together with mortar—remnants of one of the towers flanking the tzompantli, where most skulls once exhibited on its posts ended their postmortem journey. Lizzie Wade, Science | AAAS, 21 June 2018 Last year, Jeff Iliff, a neuroscientist at Oregon Health & Science University, and several colleagues examined postmortem tissue from 79 human brains. The Washington Post, The Denver Post, 21 May 2017
Noun
If a postmortem redemption arc is possible for Canserbero, perhaps the worst really is over. Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2024 The Wild dressing room wasn’t empty after Saturday night’s 3-2 loss to Anaheim, but the two players who showed up for the postmortem were dramatically outnumbered by equipment managers and reporters. John Shipley, Twin Cities, 28 Jan. 2024 According to the postmortems, DeSantis had hired the wrong people and taken the wrong advice. Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 26 Jan. 2024 In a postmortem published in September, Microsoft explained that improper access to the key was incredibly improbable, but occurred in this case because of a unique comedy of errors. Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 29 Dec. 2023 Photo-illustration: Lauren Joseph; Getty Images In 2024, the maternal mortality rate (MMR) in the United States and the United Kingdom will grow, although postmortem reviews conclude that 80 percent of maternal deaths in high-income countries are preventable. Arline Geronimus, WIRED, 19 Jan. 2024 Assessing the fifth canonical corpse and consulting the postmortem notes on the four previous corpses in November 1888, one surgeon offered another opinion on the murderer’s skills and mental state, composing one of the oldest criminal profiles. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 18 Jan. 2024 And this past June researchers found smoking-gun evidence: postmortems of deceased people who had COVID revealed viral RNA and inflammation cells in the vagal tissues, indicating the virus had infiltrated and damaged this key nerve. Shi En Kim, Scientific American, 28 Dec. 2023 The whale was examined postmortem the following day by students from NCSU and other nearby universities, including the University of North Carolina(UNC)-Wilmington, Duke University, and UNC-Chapel Hill. Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 9 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'postmortem.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin post mortem after death

First Known Use

Adjective

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of postmortem was in 1824

Dictionary Entries Near postmortem

Cite this Entry

“Postmortem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postmortem. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

postmortem

1 of 2 adjective
post·​mor·​tem (ˈ)pōs(t)-ˈmȯrt-əm How to pronounce postmortem (audio)
: done or occurring after death

postmortem

2 of 2 noun
1
2
: an analysis or discussion of an event after it is over

Medical Definition

postmortem

1 of 3 adjective
post·​mor·​tem (ˈ)pōst-ˈmȯrt-əm How to pronounce postmortem (audio)
: done, occurring, or collected after death
postmortem tissue specimens

postmortem

2 of 3 noun

post-mortem

3 of 3 adverb
post-mor·​tem
: after death
seven cases examined post-mortem

Legal Definition

post mortem

1 of 2 adjective
post mor·​tem
ˌpōst-ˈmȯr-təm
: done, occurring, or collected after death

post mortem

2 of 2 noun

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