coroner

Definition of coroner

Noun

coroner (plural coroners)

1. a public official who presides over an inquest into unnatural deaths.
   
   a coroner may also be known as a medical examiner, or ME, if he or she holds a medical degree and performs autopsies.
   
   The edict that formally established the Coroners was Article 20 of the "Articles of Eyre" in September 1194.
   
   
2. a medical doctor who performs autopsies and determines time and cause of death from a scientific standpoint.
   
   This definition applies only to some countries (e.g., Canada), and not others (e.g., the USA).

Anagrams

• crooner

Further reading

A coroner or forensics examiner is an official chiefly responsible for investigating deaths, particularly some of those happening under unusual circumstances, and determining the cause of death. Depending on the jurisdiction, the coroner may adjudge the cause himself, or act as the presiding officer of a special court (a "coroner's jury"). The office originated in mediaeval England and has been adapted in many countries which have at some time been under the influence of England or the United Kingdom. The additional roles concerning other judicial investigations and the legal and medical qualifications (if any) of the coroner vary significantly between jurisdictions and are described under the entry for each jurisdiction. Some jurisdictions, particularly those with a legal system not originating in the English system, have a medical examiner rather than a coroner.