organic definition | Dictionary.com

or⋅gan⋅ic

[awr-gan-ik]

–adjective

1.	noting or pertaining to a class of chemical compounds that formerly comprised only those existing in or derived from plants or animals, but that now includes all other compounds of carbon.

2.	characteristic of, pertaining to, or derived from living organisms: organic remains found in rocks.

3.	of or pertaining to an organ or the organs of an animal, plant, or fungus.

4.	of, pertaining to, or affecting living tissue: organic pathology.

5.	Psychology. caused by neurochemical, neuroendocrinologic, structural, or other physical impairment or change: organic disorder. Compare functional (def. 5).

6.	Philosophy. having an organization similar in its complexity to that of living things.

7.	characterized by the systematic arrangement of parts; organized; systematic: elements fitting together into a unified, organic whole.

8.	of or pertaining to the basic constitution or structure of a thing; constitutional; structural: The flaws in your writing are too organic to be easily remedied.

9.	developing in a manner analogous to the natural growth and evolution characteristic of living organisms; arising as a natural outgrowth.

10.	viewing or explaining something as having a growth and development analogous to that of living organisms: an organic theory of history.

11.	pertaining to, involving, or grown with fertilizers or pesticides of animal or vegetable origin, as distinguished from manufactured chemicals: organic farming; organic fruits.

12.	Law. of or pertaining to the constitutional or essential law or laws of organizing the government of a state.

13.	Architecture. noting or pertaining to any work of architecture regarded as analogous to plant or animal forms in having a structure and a plan that fulfill perfectly the functional requirements for the building and that form in themselves an intellectually lucid, integrated whole.

14.	Fine Arts. of or pertaining to the shapes or forms in a work of art that are of irregular contour and seem to resemble or suggest forms found in nature.

–noun

15.	a substance, as a fertilizer or pesticide, of animal or vegetable origin.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME: pertaining to an organ of the body < L organicus by or employing a mechanical device, instrumental < Gk organikós equiv. to órgan(on) organ + -ikos -ic

Related forms:

or⋅gan⋅i⋅cal⋅ness, or⋅ga⋅nic⋅i⋅ty [awr-guh-nis-i-tee]

, noun

Synonyms:
8. inherent, fundamental, basic

Antonyms:
1. inorganic.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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or·gan·ic (ôr-gān'ĭk)

adj.

Of, relating to, or derived from living organisms: organic matter.
Of, relating to, or affecting a bodily organ: an organic disease.
1. Of, marked by, or involving the use of fertilizers or pesticides that are strictly of animal or vegetable origin: organic vegetables; an organic farm.
2. Raised or conducted without the use of drugs, hormones, or synthetic chemicals: organic chicken; organic cattle farming.
3. Serving organic food: an organic restaurant.
4. Simple, healthful, and close to nature: an organic lifestyle.
5. Having properties associated with living organisms.
6. Resembling a living organism in organization or development; interconnected: society as an organic whole.
1. Having properties associated with living organisms.
2. Resembling a living organism in organization or development; interconnected: society as an organic whole.
Constituting an integral part of a whole; fundamental.
Law Denoting or relating to the fundamental or constitutional laws and precepts of a government or an organization.
Chemistry Of or designating carbon compounds.

A substance, especially a fertilizer or pesticide, of animal or vegetable origin.
Chemistry An organic compound.

or·gan'i·cal·ly adv., or'gan·ic'i·ty (ôr'gə-nĭs'ĭ-tē) n.

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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Organic

Or*gan"ic\, a. [L. organicus, Gr. ?: cf. F. organique.]

1. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to an organ or its functions, or to objects composed of organs; consisting of organs, or containing them; as, the organic structure of animals and plants; exhibiting characters peculiar to living organisms; as, organic bodies, organic life, organic remains. Cf. Inorganic.

2. Produced by the organs; as, organic pleasure. [R.]

3. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to a certain destined function or end. [R.]

Those organic arts which enable men to discourse and write perspicuously. --Milton.

4. Forming a whole composed of organs. Hence: Of or pertaining to a system of organs; inherent in, or resulting from, a certain organization; as, an organic government; his love of truth was not inculcated, but organic.

5. Pertaining to, or denoting, any one of the large series of substances which, in nature or origin, are connected with vital processes, and include many substances of artificial production which may or may not occur in animals or plants; -- contrasted with inorganic.

Note: The principles of organic and inorganic chemistry are identical; but the enormous number and the completeness of related series of organic compounds, together with their remarkable facility of exchange and substitution, offer an illustration of chemical reaction and homology not to be paralleled in inorganic chemistry.

Organic analysis (Chem.), the analysis of organic compounds, concerned chiefly with the determination of carbon as carbon dioxide, hydrogen as water, oxygen as the difference between the sum of the others and 100 per cent, and nitrogen as free nitrogen, ammonia, or nitric oxide; -- formerly called ultimate analysis, in distinction from proximate analysis.

Organic chemistry. See under Chemistry.

Organic compounds. (Chem.) See Carbon compounds, under Carbon.

Organic description of a curve (Geom.), the description of a curve on a plane by means of instruments. --Brande & C.

Organic disease (Med.), a disease attended with morbid changes in the structure of the organs of the body or in the composition of its fluids; -- opposed to functional disease.

Organic electricity. See under Electricity.

Organic law or laws, a law or system of laws, or declaration of principles fundamental to the existence and organization of a political or other association; a constitution.

Organic stricture (Med.), a contraction of one of the natural passages of the body produced by structural changes in its walls, as distinguished from a spasmodic stricture, which is due to muscular contraction.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : organic

Spanish: orgánico,

German: organisch,

Japanese: 器官の

More Translations »

organic

In medicine, a descriptive term for things or conditions that have to do with an organ in the body. The term can also refer to something that is derived from living organisms.

organic

1517, "serving as an organ or instrument," from L. organicus, from Gk. organikos "of or pertaining to an organ," from organon "instrument" (see organ). Sense of "from organized living beings" is first recorded 1778 (earlier this sense was in organical, c.1450). Meaning "free from pesticides and fertilizers" first attested 1942.

Main Entry: ¹or·gan·ic
Pronunciation: or-'gan-ik
Function: adjective
1 a : of, relating to, or arising in a bodily organ b : affecting the structure of the organism organic disease>; —compare FUNCTIONAL 1b
2 a (1) : of, relating to, or derived from living organisms (2) : relating to, yielding, dealing in, or involving the use of food produced with the use of feed orfertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides <organic stores> b (1) : of,relating to, or containing carbon compounds (2) : relating to, being, or dealt with by a branch of chemistry concerned with the carbon compounds of living beings and most other carboncompounds —or·gan·i·cal·ly /-i-k(&-)lE/ adverb —or·ga·nic·i·ty /"or-g&-'nis-&t-E/ noun plural -ties

Main Entry: ²organic
Function: noun
: an organic substance: as a : a fertilizer of plant or animal origin b : a pesticidewhose active component is an organic compound or a mixture of organic compounds

organic or·gan·ic (ôr-gān'ĭk)
adj.

Of, relating to, or affecting organs or an organ of the body.
Of or designating carbon compounds.
Of, relating to, or derived from living organisms.
Using or produced with fertilizers of animal or vegetable matter, using no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
Free from chemical injections or additives, such as antibiotics or hormones.

or'gan·ic'i·ty (ôr'gə-nĭs'ĭ-tē) n.

organic (ôr-gān'ĭk) Pronunciation Key

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Involving organisms or the products of their life processes.
Relating to chemical compounds containing carbon, especially hydrocarbons.
Using or produced with fertilizers or pesticides that are strictly of animal or vegetable origin.
Relating to or affecting organs or an organ of the body. An organic disease is one in which there is a demonstrable abnormality on physical examination, laboratory testing, or other diagnostic studies.

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