Cor"o*ner (k?r"?-n?r), n. [From OE. coronen to crown, OF. coroner, fr. L. coronare, fr. corona crown. Formed as a translation of LL. coronator coroner, fr. L. corona crown, the coroner having been originally a prosecuting officer of the crown. See Crown.] An officer of the peace whose principal duty is to inquire, with the help of a jury, into the cause of any violent, sudden or mysterious death, or death in prison, usually on sight of the body and at the place where the death occurred. [In England formerly also written and pronounced crowner.]

&fist; In some of the United States the office of coroner is abolished, that of medical examiner taking its place.

• a public official who presides over an inquest into unnatural deaths
  
• Medical examiner, or ME.