'autopsy' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'autopsia', where 'auto-' meant 'self' and 'opsis' meant 'seeing'.

'autopsy' came into English via Medieval/ Late Latin 'autopsia' (and occasional Old French forms) and appeared in Middle English as 'autopsie' before becoming modern English 'autopsy'.

Initially it meant 'the act of seeing with one's own eyes', but over time it evolved into its current primary sense of 'a postmortem examination to determine cause of death'.