organism
English edit
Etymology edit
From organ + -ism, from Ancient Greek ὄργανον (órganon, “tool, instrument”), from Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- (“work”). Compare Medieval Latin organismus.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
organism (plural organisms)
- (obsolete, rare) The fact of being organic; organicity. [18th–19th c.]
- Something with many separate interdependent parts, seen as being like a living thing; an organic system. [from 18th c.]
- 1984, Anita Brookner, Hotel du Lac, Penguin, published 2016, page 52:
- 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 […] .
- (biology) A discrete and complete living thing, such as animal, plant, fungus or microorganism. [from 19th c.]
- 2013 July 20, “Welcome to the plastisphere”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:
- 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.
Hyponyms edit
- See also Thesaurus:organism
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
living thing
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any complex thing with properties normally associated with living things
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Anagrams edit
Romanian edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from French organisme.
Noun edit
organism n (plural organisme)
Declension edit
Declension of organism
singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
indefinite articulation | definite articulation | indefinite articulation | definite articulation | |
nominative/accusative | (un) organism | organismul | (niște) organisme | organismele |
genitive/dative | (unui) organism | organismului | (unor) organisme | organismelor |
vocative | organismule | organismelor |
Swedish edit
Noun edit
organism c
- (biology) an organism
- (figuratively) an organism (something with many separate interdependent parts)
Declension edit
Declension of organism | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
Nominative | organism | organismen | organismer | organismerna |
Genitive | organisms | organismens | organismers | organismernas |