Other forms: dissected, dissecting, dissects
To dissect is to cut a body open for study, or to examine in fine detail. Dissect a frog, dissect the argument.
The figurative sense is now commoner in writing than the literal one. To dissect an argument means taking it apart rather than answering it whole.
1verbdissectTo cut a body open for study, or to examine in fine detail.
“They would dissect the result for weeks afterwards.”
dissect is a cutting.
Latin dissecare means to cut apart, from dis, asunder, plus secare, to cut.
Proto-Indo-European
*sek-
Latin
dissectus
English, today
dissect
Built from
Latin dissectus past participle of dissecare (“to cut asunder, cut up”), from dis- (“asunder”) + secare (“to cut”); see section.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA