organism
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organism
- /ˈɔː.ɡə.nɪ.zəm/ UK
- /ˈɔɹ.ɡəˌnɪz.əm/ US
Where it comes from
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.
noun organisms
- A discrete and complete living thing, such as animal, plant, fungus or microorganism. 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.
- Something with many separate interdependent parts, seen as being like a living thing; an organic system. 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 […].
- The fact of being organic; organicity.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: life form, living thing, being, organ, micro-organism, bacterium, microorganism, microbe, biological, embryo, bacteria, bacillus, pathogenic, pathogen, pest, germ
Translations
Every language
noun any complex thing with properties normally associated with living things
| Español | organismo |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 유기체 yugiche |
| 日本語 | 有機体 yūkitai |
| 中文 | 生物 shēngwù, 有機體 /有机体 yǒujītǐ |
| Português | organismo |
| Italiano | organismo |
| Русский | органи́зм organízm |
noun living thing
| Español | organismo |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 생물 saengmul, 유기체 yugiche, 생물체 saengmulche |
| 日本語 | 生物 seibutsu, 有機体 yūkitai, 生き物 ikimono |
| 中文 | 生物 shēngwù, 有機體 /有机体 yǒujītǐ |
| हिन्दी | जीव jīv |
| Português | organismo |
| Français | organisme |
| Deutsch | Organismus, Lebewesen |
| Italiano | organismo |
| Ελληνικά | οργανισμός organismós |
| Română | organism |
| Русский | органи́зм organízm |
| Tiếng Việt | sinh vật |
| العربية | كَائِن حَيّ kāʔin ḥayy |
| עברית | אוֹרְגָּנִיזְם organízm, יְצוּר yetsúr |
Talk about this word "organism." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/organism. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. organism. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/organism "organism." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/organism.Cite this
@misc{organism_2026,
title = {organism},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/organism},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
