Anatomy Means Cutting Up — Here Is What the Word Really Covers
Anatomy is the study of the structure of bodies, and also the structure itself. Figuratively it means the detailed make-up of anything, such as the anatomy of a crisis.
Anatomy is the science of bodily structure — bones, muscles, organs and how they fit together. It is also the structure itself: *the anatomy of the horse*. And it is used figuratively for the inner workings of anything: *the anatomy of a scandal*.
- The study of body structure. *First-year students take anatomy.*
- The structure of a particular body. *Feline anatomy differs in the shoulder.*
- The detailed make-up of anything. *The anatomy of a failed startup.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | anatomy | She teaches anatomy. |
| Adjective | anatomical | An anatomical drawing. |
| Adverb | anatomically | Anatomically impossible. |
| Person | anatomist | A Renaissance anatomist. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Medical students dissect cadavers to learn anatomy.The original, literal study.
- The article was an anatomy of a political collapse.The figurative sense.
- That pose is anatomically impossible.A common phrase in art criticism.
Anatomy and physiology
They are usually taught together but ask different questions. Anatomy asks what the parts are and where they sit; physiology asks what they do and how. A heart's four chambers are anatomy; the way it fills and empties is physiology.
Where does the word come from?
Greek *anatomia*, a cutting up, from *ana* (up) and *temnein* (to cut). Dissection is written into the name.
What is gross anatomy?
Structure visible to the naked eye, as opposed to microscopic anatomy or histology. Gross here means large, not unpleasant.