Vivisection was formed with Latin vivus and English section. Section itself traces to Latin sectio and the verb secare, to cut. The modern term concerns operating on living animals for research.
The whole word is not presented as a directly borrowed ancient Latin compound.
Sources
- Merriam-Webster: vivisection
The formation combines Latin vivus and English section.
- Merriam-Webster: section
Latin sectio comes from secare, to cut.
- Online Etymology Dictionary: dissect
Also built on *secare*: dissect, from Latin dissecare "cut in pieces" (dis- "apart" + secare "to cut")
- Online Etymology Dictionary · section
Meanings of the older forms on the word path.