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''organism'' ▫ᴱᴺ Entries

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''organism'' ▫ᴱᴺ｜Definition｜1st｜20260708194133-00-⌔

organism - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

Noun

organism (plural organisms)

  • (biology) A discrete and complete living thing, such as animal, plant, fungus or microorganism. [from 19th c.]
    • ✤ Plastics are energy-rich substances, which is why many of them burn so readily. Any organism that could unlock and use that energy would do well in the Anthropocene. Terrestrial bacteria and fungi which can manage this trick are already familiar to experts in the field.1
    • ✤ This strategy, known as caloric restriction, has been shown to increase the life span of various organisms and reduce their rate of cancer and other age-related ailments.2
  • Something with many separate interdependent parts, seen as being like a living thing; an organic system. [from 18th c.]
    • ✤ For the first time, Edith was aware of the hotel as a well populated organism, its attendants merely resting until an appropriate occasion should summon them to present themselves […].3
  • (obsolete, rare) The fact of being organic; organicity. [18th–19th c.]

Etymology

First attested in 1701; from organ +‎ -ism, from Ancient Greek ὄργανον (órganon, “a tool, instrument”), from Proto-Indo-European ﹡werǵ- (“work”). Compare New Latin organismus.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˈɔː.ɡə.nɪ.zəm/
  • (General American) IPA: /ˈɔɹ.ɡəˌnɪz.əm/
    • Audio (US); /ˈɔɹ.ɡəˌnɪz.əm/: 🔊

Printed 2026-07-08.

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Footnotes

  1. 2013 July 20, “Welcome to the plastisphere”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845: ↩

  2. 2019 July 16, Anahad O’Connor, “Cutting 300 Calories a Day Shows Health Benefits”, in The New York Times ‎: ↩

  3. 1984, Anita Brookner, Hotel du Lac, Penguin, published 2016, page 52: ↩

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