anatomy

anatomy — noun

1. the area of science that looks at how the bodies of people, animals, and plants

1.nounC1
Definition

the area of science that looks at how the bodies of people, animals, and plants are built, including the names, positions, and shapes of their parts.

Example

Aya started anatomy in her first year of medical school.

study subject: study anatomy

The class used a plastic skeleton to learn basic anatomy.

collocation: basic anatomy

Common collocations
  • study anatomy
  • teach anatomy
  • basic anatomy
  • anatomy class
  • anatomy textbook
Synonyms
  • morphology

    more technical; used for the study of form and structure in biology

  • anatomical science

    formal phrase used in academic writing, not the usual everyday term

Grammar Patterns

study anatomy

teach anatomy

anatomy class

Usage Note

Usually uncountable when naming the subject itself: you study or teach anatomy. Distinguish from sense 2, which names the structure of a body or organ rather than the field of study.

Common Mistakes

We study anatomy to learn how the heart pumps blood.
We study physiology to learn how the heart pumps blood.
anatomy focuses on structure; physiology focuses on function.

2. the way a living thing, or one of its parts, is put together inside and outside.

2.nounC1
Definition

the way a living thing, or one of its parts, is put together inside and outside.

Example

Whale anatomy lets the animal dive deep and stay underwater.

compound subject: whale anatomy

The book explains the anatomy of a leaf with clear pictures.

anatomy of + plant part

Common collocations
  • human anatomy
  • bird anatomy
  • plant anatomy
  • knee anatomy
  • the anatomy of the eye
Synonyms
  • structure

    the broad everyday word; not limited to living things

  • makeup

    informal; often used for what parts something is made of

  • form

    focuses more on outer shape than on all the parts inside

Grammar Patterns

the anatomy of + body part

the anatomy of + animal/plant

Usage Note

Often followed by 'of' plus a living thing or organ, as in 'the anatomy of the eye'. Distinguish from sense 1: if you mean the science or school subject, use sense 1 instead.

Common Mistakes

The doctor explained the anatomy about the knee.
The doctor explained the anatomy of the knee.
this sense normally takes 'of', not 'about'.

3. someone's physical body, mentioned in a joking or slightly rude way.

3.nounC2
Definition

someone's physical body, mentioned in a joking or slightly rude way.

Example

After six hours on the bus, my anatomy needed a bed.

possessive pattern: my anatomy

The hard wooden bench was not kind to Ben's anatomy.

phrase: kind to sb's anatomy

Common collocations
  • my anatomy
  • Ben's anatomy
  • kind to sb's anatomy
  • room for sb's anatomy
Synonyms
  • body

    neutral and much more common in everyday English

  • frame

    slightly literary; often stresses a person's build

  • physique

    usually refers to body shape or strength, not the whole person in a joke

Grammar Patterns

my anatomy

sb's anatomy

Usage Note

Mostly singular and often used with a possessive, such as 'my anatomy' or 'Karl's anatomy'. Common in humorous complaints about seats, falls, or pain; for neutral or medical contexts, say 'body' instead.

Common Mistakes

The anatomy of the car was damaged in the crash.
The body of the car was damaged in the crash.
this humorous sense is used for a person's body, not for objects.

4. a careful breaking-down of a subject, event, or system so that its parts and cau

4.nounC1
Definition

a careful breaking-down of a subject, event, or system so that its parts and causes can be examined clearly.

Example

The article offers an anatomy of the city's housing crisis.

anatomy of + problem

Her book gives a calm anatomy of fear after war.

formal noun phrase

Common collocations
  • an anatomy of a crisis
  • an anatomy of failure
  • an anatomy of power
  • offer an anatomy of
Synonyms
  • analysis

    the most general near-synonym and less literary

  • breakdown

    more direct and often used in everyday or business English

  • examination

    broader; does not always suggest separating something into parts

  • study

    wider in meaning and often less focused on causes

Antonyms
  • synthesis

    puts parts together into a whole instead of separating them

Grammar Patterns

an anatomy of + issue

an anatomy of how + clause

Usage Note

Usually followed by 'of' plus a problem, event, system, or abstract idea. More formal than 'analysis', and often used for books, essays, or reports that separate a subject into parts.

Common Mistakes

The teacher gave an anatomy on the budget problem.
The teacher gave an anatomy of the budget problem.
this formal sense usually uses 'anatomy of'.

Word family

  • anatomical
    adjectiveC1
  • anatomically
    adverbC2
  • anatomist
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Anatomy' in sense 1 is about studying what parts a living thing has and where those parts are. 'Physiology' is the partner subject that asks how those parts work, so the two are taught together but are not interchangeable. 'Morphology' is a more technical biology term for form and structural pattern. 'Dissection' is not the subject itself but the act of cutting a body or specimen open to study it. 'Structure' is the broad everyday word and can describe a bridge or a plan as well as a body. You study anatomy in medical school, compare leaf morphology in botany, and learn heart physiology when you ask how blood moves.

anatomy ↗physiology ↗morphology ↗dissection ↗structure ↗

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word comes from Greek 'anatomē', which originally meant a cutting up or dissection. It was formed from 'ana-' meaning up and 'temnein' meaning to cut. Latin borrowed it as 'anatomia', and from there it passed through French into English. The idea of cutting something into parts still helps explain both the medical sense and the later figurative sense of detailed analysis.