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disséquer

dissect

verb dee-seh-KEH Rare

Origin: Latin dissecare (to cut apart)

Usage Note

Disséquer is used both literally (to dissect an animal in biology class) and figuratively (to dissect a text, speech, or argument with close critical analysis). The figurative sense is especially common in journalism: disséquer un discours politique. Note the accent: the infinitive has é but the stem vowel changes in conjugation (je dissèque).

Examples

"Les étudiants ont dû disséquer une grenouille en cours."

Natural Translation

The students had to dissect a frog in class.

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