organic

1 of 2

adjective

or·​gan·​ic ȯr-ˈga-nik 

1

a(1)

: of, relating to, yielding, or involving the use of food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides

organic farming

organic produce

(2)

: of, relating to, or derived from living organisms

organic evolution

b(1)

: relating to, being, or dealt with by a branch of chemistry concerned with the carbon compounds of living beings and most other carbon compounds

studied organic chemistry in college

(2)

: of, relating to, or containing carbon compounds

organic solvents

2

a

: having systematic coordination of parts : organized

an organic whole

b

: forming an integral element of a whole : fundamental

incidental music rather than organic parts of the action

—Francis Fergusson

c

: having the characteristics of an organism : developing in the manner of a living plant or animal

society is organic

many new coinages … stem from the normal organic structure of the language

—William Chomsky

3

a

: of, relating to, or arising in a bodily organ

b

: affecting the structure of the organism

an organic disease

4

: of, relating to, or constituting the law by which a government or organization exists

their nation has written the separation of church and state into its organic law

—Paul Blanshard

5

archaic : instrumental

organically

ȯr-ˈga-ni-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

organicity

ˌȯr-gə-ˈni-sə-tē 

noun

organic

2 of 2

noun

: an organic substance: such as

a

: a fertilizer of plant or animal origin

b

: a pesticide whose active component is an organic compound or a mixture of organic compounds

c

: a food produced by organic farming

Examples of organic in a Sentence

Adjective

He thinks of the city not as a collection of different neighborhoods but as an organic whole.

This neighborhood is an organic part of the city.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Carpets that contain those PFAS, either in the fibers themselves or in the treatments, can off-gas those PFAS as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. —Lisa Wood Shapiro, WIRED, 7 Dec. 2024

The estate uses organic fertilizers and practices crop rotation to maintain soil health. —Rachel King, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024

Noun

Veritable zoos of extraterrestrial organics are found in meteorites. —Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 13 Nov. 2024

Of course, organics don't mean that life is there, because organics can have a biological origin or a non-biological origin. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Noun

1840, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing organic

• certified organic
• organic brain syndrome
• organic chemistry

Kids Definition

organic

adjective

or·​gan·​ic

ȯr-ˈgan-ik

1

a

: of, relating to, or arising in a bodily organ

b

: affecting the structure of the living thing

an organic disease

2

a

: of, relating to, or obtained from living things

organic matter

b

: of, relating to, or containing carbon compounds

c

: of, relating to, or dealt with by a branch of chemistry concerned with the carbon compounds of living things and most other carbon compounds

d

: relating to, producing, dealing in, or involving foods produced with the use of feed or fertilizer obtained from plants or animals and without the use of laboratory-made fertilizers, growth substances, antibiotics, or pesticides

organic gardeners

organic food stores

3

a

: forming an important part of a whole : fundamental

b

: having the parts related together

an organic whole

organically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Medical Definition

organic

1 of 2 adjective

or·​gan·​ic ȯr-ˈgan-ik 

1

a

: of, relating to, or arising in a bodily organ

b

: affecting the structure of the organism

an organic disease

compare functional sense 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 or fertilizer 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 carbon compounds

organically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

organicity

ˌȯr-gə-ˈnis-ət-ē 

noun

plural organicities

organic

2 of 2 noun

: an organic substance: as

a

: a fertilizer of plant or animal origin

b

: a pesticide whose active component is an organic compound or a mixture of organic compounds