medical examiner

noun

: a usually appointed public officer whose duties are similar to those of a coroner but who is typically required to have specific medical training (as in pathology) and is qualified to conduct medical examinations and autopsies

Examples of medical examiner in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But physician and pharmacist Frances Oldham Kelsey, a medical examiner at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is stalling the approval of Kevadon. —Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 19 Sep. 2024

In Pima County, which covers a large swath of the Arizona border, the medical examiner has discovered nearly 4,000 migrant remains since the turn of the century — or an average of 165 each year. —Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 19 Sep. 2024

Tulsa Police noted the medical examiner's office will determine his cause of death. —Brian Brant, Peoplemag, 17 Sep. 2024

On Thursday, the medical examiner's office performed an autopsy and determined that Cain's death resulted from trauma, according to police. —Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 14 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

medical examiner

noun

1

: a usually appointed public officer with duties similar to those of a coroner but who is required to have specific medical training (as in pathology) and is qualified to conduct medical examinations and autopsies

2

: a physician employed to make medical examinations (as of applicants for military service or of claimants of workers' compensation)

3

: a physician appointed to examine and license candidates for the practice of medicine in a political jurisdiction (as a state)

Legal Definition

medical examiner

noun

med·​i·​cal examiner

: a public officer who determines the necessity of and conducts autopsies