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Organ

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organ¹

  • /ˈɔːɡən/ UK
  • /ˈoɹɡən/ Canada, US
  • /ˈoːɡən/ Australia, New Zealand

Sounds like Oregon (one pronunciation) · Rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)ɡən

Where it comes from

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *werǵ-der.

Ancient Greek ὄργανον (órganon)bor.

Latin organumder.

Old French organebor.

Middle English organe

English organ

From Middle English organe, from Old French organe and Old English organ, both from Latin organum, from Ancient Greek ὄργανον (órganon, “an instrument, implement, tool, also an organ of sense or apprehension, an organ of the body, also a musical instrument, an organ”), from Proto-Indo-European *werǵ-. Doublet of organon, organum, and orgue.

noun organs

  1. The larger part of an organism, composed of tissues that perform similar functions. bodily organs
  2. broadly A body of an organization dedicated to the performing of certain functions.
  3. obsolete A device, apparatus. This Organ is called a Thermometer, or Thermoscope, because the degrees of Heat and Cold are measured and marked by it.
  4. A musical instrument that has multiple pipes which play when a key is pressed (the pipe organ), or an electronic instrument designed to replicate such. He was thinking; but the glory of the song, the swell from the great organ, the clustered lights, […], the height and vastness of this noble fane, its antiquity and its strength—all these things seemed to have their part as causes of the thrilling emotion that accompanied his thoughts.
  5. An official magazine, newsletter, or similar publication of an organization.
  6. abbreviation, ellipsis Ellipsis of organ pipe cactus.organ pipe cactus
  7. A government organization; agency; authority.
  8. slang The penis. If the Snake has an unmistakeable resemblance to the male organ in its active state, the foliage of the tree or bush is equally remindful of the female.
  9. historical An Asian form of mitrailleuse. Lieutenant Roberts was also severely wounded by a missile, or weapon called an Organ, which is composed of about thirty-six gun barrels so joined as to fire at once.

Similar: organ

verb organs · organing · organed

  1. obsolete, transitive To supply with an organ or organs; to fit with organs. [W]hen he ſays, he has compaſſion on’em, they ſhould ask, where then are his Bowels! […] Alaſs! fond Creature, thou art Elemented and Organ’d for other Apprehenſions […]

Organ²

Where it comes from

From organ, a metonymic occupational surname for a player of a musical instrument.

proper noun Organs

  1. countable, uncountable A surname.
  2. countable, uncountable A census-designated place in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States.

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