medical examiner

American  

noun

1. a physician or other person trained in medicine who is appointed by a city, county, or the like, to perform autopsies on the bodies of persons supposed to have died from unnatural causes and to investigate the cause and circumstances of such deaths.

2. a physician retained by an insurance company, industrial firm, or the like, to give medical examinations to its clients or employees.

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medical examiner British  

noun

1. a medical expert, usually a physician, employed by a state or local government to determine the cause of sudden death in cases of suspected violence, suicide, etc Compare coroner

2. a physician who carries out medical examinations

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Etymology

Origin of medical examiner

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

I filed a Freedom of Information Act request, reviewed the medical examiner’s files and obtained the FBI interview video.

From The Wall Street Journal

The medical examiner is conducting additional forensic testing.

From Los Angeles Times

She weighed 71 pounds and had a “Shhh” tattoo on her finger, according to details released by the medical examiner prior to the court order.

From Los Angeles Times

The county's medical examiner previously said Ms Rivas Hernandez's body was "severely decomposed" when it was found in September and deferred making a ruling on how she died pending the death investigation.

From BBC

The medical examiner’s office agreed, deciding against a more thorough autopsy.

From Los Angeles Times