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pipe organ

 - 9 dictionary results

pipe organ

–noun
organ (def. 1).

Origin:
1880–85, Americanism

or⋅gan

[awr-guhn]
–noun
1. 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.
4. 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.
5. penis
6. 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.
8. 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 érgon work


6. publication, journal, instrument, channel.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To pipe organ
or·gan   (ôr'gən)   
n.  
  1. Music

    1. 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.

    2. Any one of various other instruments, such as the electronic organ, that resemble a pipe organ either in mechanism or sound.

  2. Biology A differentiated part of an organism, such as an eye, wing, or leaf, that performs a specific function.

  3. An instrument or agency dedicated to the performance of specified functions: The FBI is an organ of the Justice Department.

  4. 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.]
pipe organ  
n.  See organ.
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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Cultural Dictionary

organ

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.

Note: The brain, liver, and skin are organs.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

organ 
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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

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
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

organ or·gan (ôr'gən)
n.
A differentiated part of the body that performs a specific function.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
organ   (ôr'gən)  Pronunciation Key 
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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