Postmortem: meaning, definitions and examples
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postmortem
[ ˌpoʊstˈmɔːrtəm ]
after death
A postmortem is an examination conducted after death to determine the cause and manner of death. This procedure is typically performed by a medical examiner or forensic pathologist. Additionally, in a broader context, it can refer to a discussion or analysis of an event that has already occurred, often to evaluate what went well or what could be improved.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The postmortem revealed the victim's cause of death was a heart attack.
- After the project was completed, the team held a postmortem to discuss successes and lessons learned.
- The postmortem was necessary to investigate what went wrong in the surgery.
analysis context
Describing something that occurs after an event, particularly in terms of analysis or review. A postmortem analysis can help organizations understand the factors that contributed to the success or failure of a project or decision.
Synonyms
after-action, evaluation, review.
Examples of usage
- We conducted a postmortem analysis of the marketing campaign to find areas for improvement.
- His postmortem assessment of the failed project was insightful.
- The postmortem report highlighted key mistakes made during the process.
Translations
Translations of the word "postmortem" in other languages:
🇵🇹 pós-morte
🇮🇳 मृत्यु के बाद
🇩🇪 Postmortem
🇮🇩 pascamati
🇺🇦 посмертний
🇵🇱 pośmiertny
🇯🇵 死後の
🇫🇷 postmortem
🇪🇸 postmortem
🇹🇷 ölüm sonrası
🇰🇷 사후의
🇸🇦 بعد الوفاة
🇨🇿 pohřební
🇸🇰 pohrebný
🇨🇳 死后
🇸🇮 posmrtni
🇮🇸 eftirlit
🇰🇿 қаза болғаннан кейін
🇬🇪 პოსტმორტემი
🇦🇿 ölüm sonrası
🇲🇽 postmortem
Etymology
The term 'postmortem' originates from the Latin phrase 'post mortem', which means 'after death'. The word has been used in English since the early 17th century, primarily within the context of medical examinations following death to determine the cause. Over the years, its usage has expanded into various fields, including project management and business, where it denotes a retrospective analysis conducted after a project or event has concluded. The dual usage of the term underscores its versatility in discussing outcomes and results, whether in a strictly medical context or in broader analytical discussions.