Also called pipe organ.a musical instrument consisting of one or more sets of pipes sounded by means of compressed air, played by means of one or more keyboards, and capable of producing a wide range of musical effects.
2.
any of various similar instruments, as a reed organ or an electronic organ.
3.
a barrel organ or hand organ.
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Biology. a grouping of tissues into a distinct structure, as a heart or kidney in animals or a leaf or stamen in plants, that performs a specialized task.
a newspaper, magazine, or other means of communicating information, thoughts, or opinions, esp. in behalf of some organization, political group, or the like.
7.
an instrument or means, as of action or performance: This committee will be the chief organ of administration.
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Archaic. any of various musical instruments, esp. wind, instruments.
[Origin: bef. 1000; ME: musical instrument, pipe organ, organ of the body, tool (< ML, L organum mechanical device, instrument) < Gk órganon implement, tool, bodily organ, musical instrument, akin to érgonwork]
An instrument consisting of a number of pipes that sound tones when supplied with air and a keyboard that operates a mechanism controlling the flow of air to the pipes. Also called pipe organ.
Any one of various other instruments, such as the electronic organ, that resemble a pipe organ either in mechanism or sound.
Biology A differentiated part of an organism, such as an eye, wing, or leaf, that performs a specific function.
An instrument or agency dedicated to the performance of specified functions: The FBI is an organ of the Justice Department.
An instrument or a means of communication, especially a periodical issued by a political party, business firm, or other group.
[Middle English, from Old French organe and from Old English organe, both from Latin organum, tool, instrument, from Greek organon; see werg- in Indo-European roots.]
O.E. organe, and O.Fr. orgene (12c.), both meaning "musical instrument," both from L. organa, pl. of organum, from Gk. organon "implement, musical instrument, organ of the body," lit. "that with which one works," from PIE *werg-ano-, from base *werg- "to do," related to Gk. ergon "work" and O.E. weorc (see urge (v.)). Applied vaguely in late O.E. to musical instruments; sense narrowed by c.1386 to the modern musical instrument known by that name (involving pipes supplied with wind by a bellows and worked by means of keys), though Augustine (c.400) knew this as a specific sense of L. organa. The meaning "body part adapted to a certain function" is attested from 1392. Organist is first recorded 1591; organ-grinder is attested from 1806.
a fully differentiated structural and functional unit in an animal that is specialized for some particular function
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a government agency or instrument devoted to the performance of some specific function; "The Census Bureau is an organ of the Commerce Department"
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(music) an electronic simulation of a pipe organ [syn: electric organ]
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a periodical that is published by a special interest group; "the organ of the communist party"
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wind instrument whose sound is produced by means of pipes arranged in sets supplied with air from a bellows and controlled from a large complex musical keyboard
6.
a free-reed instrument in which air is forced through the reeds by bellows [syn: harmonium]
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A distinct part of an organism that performs one or more specialized functions. Examples of organs are the eyes, ears, lungs, and heart of an animal, and the roots, stems, and leaves of a plant.
Part of a living thing, distinct from the other parts, that is adapted for a specific function. Organs are made up of tissues and are grouped into systems, such as the digestive system.
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This Main Entry: or·gan Pronunciation: 'or-g&n Function: noun : a differentiated structure (as a heart or kidney) consisting of cells and tissues andperforming some specific function in an organism
Or"gan\, n. [L. organum, Gr. ?; akin to ? work, and E. work: cf. F. organe. See Work, and cf. Orgue, Orgy.]1. An instrument or medium by which some important action is performed, or an important end accomplished; as, legislatures, courts, armies, taxgatherers, etc., are organs of government. 2. (Biol.) A natural part or structure in an animal or a plant, capable of performing some special action (termed its function), which is essential to the life or well-being of the whole; as, the heart, lungs, etc., are organs of animals; the root, stem, foliage, etc., are organs of plants. Note: In animals the organs are generally made up of several tissues, one of which usually predominates, and determines the principal function of the organ. Groups of organs constitute a system. See System. 3. A component part performing an essential office in the working of any complex machine; as, the cylinder, valves, crank, etc., are organs of the steam engine. 4. A medium of communication between one person or body and another; as, the secretary of state is the organ of communication between the government and a foreign power; a newspaper is the organ of its editor, or of a party, sect, etc. 5. [Cf. AS. organ, fr. L. organum.] (Mus.) A wind instrument containing numerous pipes of various dimensions and kinds, which are filled with wind from a bellows, and played upon by means of keys similar to those of a piano, and sometimes by foot keys or pedals; -- formerly used in the plural, each pipe being considired an organ. The deep, majestic, solemn organs blow. --Pope. Note: Chaucer used the form orgon as a plural. The merry orgon . . . that in the church goon [go]. Barrel organ, Choir organ, Great organ, etc. See under Barrel, Choir, etc. Cabinet organ (Mus.), an organ of small size, as for a chapel or for domestic use; a reed organ. Organ bird (Zo["o]l.), a Tasmanian crow shrike (Gymnorhina organicum). It utters discordant notes like those of a hand organ out of tune. Organ fish (Zo["o]l.), the drumfish. Organ gun. (Mil.) Same as Orgue (b) . Organ harmonium (Mus.), an harmonium of large capacity and power. Organ of Gorti (Anat.), a complicated structure in the cochlea of the ear, including the auditory hair cells, the rods or fibers of Corti, the membrane of Corti, etc. See Note under Ear. Organ pipe. See Pipe, n., 1. Organ-pipe coral. (Zo["o]l.) See Tubipora. Organ point (Mus.), a passage in which the tonic or dominant is sustained continuously by one part, while the other parts move.
Or"gan\, v. t. To supply with an organ or organs; to fit with organs; to organize. [Obs.] Thou art elemented and organed for other apprehensions. --Bp. Mannyngham.
some kind of wind instrument, probably a kind of Pan's pipes (Gen. 4:21; Job 21:12; Ps. 150:4), which consisted of seven or eight reeds of unequal length.
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