— thanatological /than'euh tl oj"i keuhl/ , adj. — thanatologist , n.
/than'euh tol"euh jee/ , n.
1. the study of death and its surrounding circumstances, as in forensic medicine.
2. Psychiatry. the study of the effects of death and dying, esp. the investigation of ways to lessen the suffering and address the needs of the terminally ill and their survivors.
[ 1835-45; THANATO- + -LOGY ]