vivisection
noun
viv·i·sec·tion
ˌvi-və-ˈsek-shən
ˈvi-və-ˌsek-
1
: the cutting of or operation on a living animal usually for physiological or pathological investigation
broadly
: animal experimentation especially if considered to cause distress to the subject
2
: minute or pitiless examination or criticism
Did you know?
Vivisection includes the Latin root sect, meaning "cut". The Greek physician Galen, who lived during the 2nd century A.D., practiced vivisection on live monkeys and dogs to learn such things as the role of the spinal cord in muscle activity and whether veins and arteries carry air or blood; his findings formed the basis of medical practice for more than a thousand years. Vivisection continues to be used in drug and medical research today, but often in secret, since it makes most people very uncomfortable and some groups are violently opposed to it.
Cite this Entry
“Vivisection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vivisection. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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