Anatomy \A*nat"o*my\, n.; pl. Anatomies. [F. anatomie, L. anatomia, Gr. ? dissection, fr. ? to cut up; ? + ? to cut.]

1. The art of dissecting, or artificially separating the different parts of any organized body, to discover their situation, structure, and economy; dissection.

2. The science which treats of the structure of organic bodies; anatomical structure or organization.

Let the muscles be well inserted and bound together, according to the knowledge of them which is given us by anatomy. --Dryden.

Note: ``Animal anatomy'' is sometimes called zomy; ``vegetable anatomy,'' phytotomy; ``human anatomy,'' anthropotomy.

Comparative anatomy compares the structure of different kinds and classes of animals.

3. A treatise or book on anatomy.

4. The act of dividing anything, corporeal or intellectual, for the purpose of examining its parts; analysis; as, the anatomy of a discourse.

5. A skeleton; anything anatomized or dissected, or which has the appearance of being so.

The anatomy of a little child, representing all parts thereof, is accounted a greater rarity than the skeleton of a man in full stature. --Fuller.

They brought one Pinch, a hungry, lean-faced villain, A mere anatomy. --Shak.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)