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inorganic - 6 dictionary results
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in⋅or⋅gan⋅ic

  [in-awr-gan-ik]
Use inorganic in a Sentence
–adjective
1. not having the structure or organization characteristic of living bodies.
2. not characterized by vital processes.
3. Chemistry. noting or pertaining to compounds that are not hydrocarbons or their derivatives. Compare organic (def. 1).
4. not fundamental or related; extraneous.
Origin:
1785–95; in- 3 + organic

Related forms:
in⋅or⋅gan⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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in·or·gan·ic   (ĭn'ôr-gān'ĭk)   
adj.  
    1. Involving neither organic life nor the products of organic life.
    2. Not composed of organic matter.
  2. Chemistry Of or relating to compounds not containing hydrocarbon groups.
  3. Not arising in normal growth; artificial.
  4. Lacking system or structure.
in'or·gan'i·cal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Inorganic

In`or*gan"ic\, a. [Pref. in- not + organic: cf. F. inorganique.] Not organic; without the organs necessary for life; devoid of an organized structure; unorganized; lifeness; inanimate; as, all chemical compounds are inorganic substances.

Note: The term inorganic is used to denote any one the large series of substances (as minerals, metals, etc.), which are not directly connected with vital processes, either in origin or nature, and which are broadly and relatively contrasted with organic subscances. See Organic.

Inorganic Chemistry. See under Chemistry.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : inorganic
Spanish: inorgánico,
German: unorganisch,
Japanese: 無機の
More Translations »

Main Entry: in·or·gan·ic
Pronunciation: "in-"or-'gan-ik
Function: adjective
1 a : being or composed of matter other than plantor animal inorganic heart> b : forming or belonging to the inanimate world
2 : of, relating to, or dealt with by a branch of chemistry concernedwith substances not usually classed as organic —in·or·gan·i·cal·ly /-i-k(&-)lE/ adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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inorganic in·or·gan·ic (ĭn'ôr-gān'ĭk)
n.

  1. Not formed by or involving organic life or the products of organic life.
  2. Not composed of organic matter.
  3. Of or relating to compounds not containing carbon to hydrogen bonds
in'or·gan'i·cal·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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inorganic   (ĭn'ôr-gān'ĭk)  Pronunciation Key 
  1. Not involving organisms or the products of their life processes.
  2. Relating to chemical compounds that occur mainly outside of living or once living organisms, such as those in rocks, minerals, and ceramics. Most inorganic compounds lack carbon, such as salt (NaCl) and ammonia (NH3); a few, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), do contain it, but never attached to hydrogen atoms as in hydrocarbons. Inorganic molecules tend to have a relatively small number of atoms as compared with organic molecules.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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