Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Anatomy?

\A*nat"o*my\, n.; pl. {Anatomies}. [F. anatomie, L. anatomia, Gr. ? dissection, fr. ? to cut up; ? + ? to cut.] 1. The art of dissecting, or artificially separating the different parts of any organized body, to discover their situation, structure, and economy; dissection. 2. The science which treats of the structure of organic bodies; anatomical structure or organization. Let the muscles be well inserted and bound together, according to the knowledge of them which is given us by anatomy. --Dryden. Note: ``Animal anatomy'' is sometimes called {zomy}; ``vegetable anatomy,'' {phytotomy}; ``human anatomy,'' {anthropotomy}. {Comparative anatomy} compares the structure of different kinds and classes of animals. 3. A treatise or book on anatomy. 4. The act of dividing anything, corporeal or intellectual, for the purpose of examining its parts; analysis; as, the anatomy of a discourse. 5. A skeleton; anything anatomized or dissected, or which has the appearance of being so. The anatomy of a little child, representing all parts thereof, is accounted a greater rarity than the skeleton of a man in full stature. --Fuller. They brought one Pinch, a hungry, lean-faced villain, A mere anatomy. --Shak.