organic

adjective
or·​gan·​ic | \ ȯr-ˈga-nik How to pronounce organic (audio) \

Definition of organic

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 archaic : instrumental
2a : of, relating to, or arising in a bodily organ
b : affecting the structure of the organism an organic disease
3a(1) : of, relating to, or derived from living organisms organic evolution
(2) : 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
b(1) : of, relating to, or containing carbon compounds organic solvents
(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 studied organic chemistry in college
4a : forming an integral element of a whole : fundamental incidental music rather than organic parts of the action— Francis Fergusson
b : having systematic coordination of parts : organized an organic whole
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
5 : 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

organic

noun

Definition of organic (Entry 2 of 2)

: 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

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Other Words from organic

Adjective

organically \ ȯr-​ˈga-​ni-​k(ə-​)lē How to pronounce organically (audio) \ adverb
organicity \ ˌȯr-​gə-​ˈni-​sə-​tē How to pronounce organicity (audio) \ noun

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

After a small breakdown/hot flash in the organic-produce aisle at Whole Foods, Winona Carter is tenderly placed in a Lyft and rushed away to a spa renowned for its oxygen facials and progressive treatment of college-admissions anxiety. Wendi Aarons Kj Dell’antonia, The New Yorker, "Girl, You’re a Middle-Aged Woman Now," 21 Aug. 2019 Using ultraviolet lasers, the appendage scans the terrain to detect the presence of organic compounds. Daniel Oberhaus, WIRED, "NASA's Next Martian Rover Is Almost Ready to Rock," 20 Aug. 2019 Hornbrook operated a gas-analyzing instrument known as TOGA during the flight, measuring levels of organic compounds in the air. David Freeman, NBC News, "Rare 'fire cloud' looks otherworldly in photo snapped from NASA's flying lab," 17 Aug. 2019 The store on Frederick Road opened about three years ago and specializes in local, organic produce. Cody Boteler, baltimoresun.com, "Catonsville’s Rooster & Hen relocating to Baltimore’s Cross Street Market," 14 Aug. 2019 Sprouts sold the cheapest non-organic produce, with its prices undercutting Walmart by about 13%. Sarah Min, CBS News, "Which U.S. grocery chains offer the best value?," 9 Aug. 2019 According to a report from the United Fresh Produce Association, sales of organic produce grew 8.7 percent to $5.6 billion in 2018 over 2017. Liza Zwirn, BostonGlobe.com, "At the Fancy Food Show, vegan and vegetarian foods dominate," 5 Aug. 2019 These diverse farms generally follow organic practices, providing an alternative to today’s chemical-reliant commodity system that values price and portability over flavor and nutrition. Eric Velasco, al, "Follow the journey of local food from seed to plate," 13 Aug. 2019 Buy organic kernels and pop it yourself on the stovetop in avocado oil. Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health.com, "4 Health Benefits of Corn," 12 Aug. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Trumbo, in particular, would like to search for any organics that might have spilled onto the surface along with the salt. Shannon Hall, Scientific American, "Water on Europa—with a Pinch of Salt," 12 June 2019 And Reno’s neighborhoods are reinventing themselves into a celebration of everything local, from organics to art. Erin E. Williams, Twin Cities, "Stunning vistas, modern museums, quirky shops make Reno a favorite for tourists," 22 June 2019 The agency detected volatile organics in the air, but not at dangerous levels. Cameron Knight, Cincinnati.com, "Frustrated by months of silence, leaders to hold meeting on Winton Terrace air quality," 12 Dec. 2018 Groundwater does not contain the organics that surface waters do and is less prone to produce TTHMs when chlorinated, according to Knudson. Raquel Baier, azcentral, "Excessive contaminant in water resolved, say Chandler officials," 4 June 2019 Carla Vernon, president of General Mills’ natural and organics business, including the Annie’s brand, said Thursday that the cereal giant understands the potential perils of folding smaller brands into a big company. Annie Gasparro, WSJ, "Food Executives Look to Better Integrate Smaller Brands," 29 Sep. 2018 Then the scientists sifted through the results to figure out what might be genuine Martian organics. Kenneth Chang, New York Times, "Life on Mars? Rover’s Latest Discovery Puts It ‘On the Table’," 7 June 2018 Jennifer Eigenbrode, an astrobiologist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland who led the organics study, said she's intrigued by the possibility that life might have existed and adapted on Mars. Marcia Dunn, chicagotribune.com, "New Mars discoveries in ancient lakebed advance case for possible life," 7 June 2018 The Stardust recovery mission found organics and glycine - one of the simplest amino acids. Jamie Seidel, Fox News, "Wild new alien theory emerges," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'organic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of organic

Adjective

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1840, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for organic

organic

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of organic

of food : grown or made without the use of artificial chemicals
: not using artificial chemicals
: of, relating to, or obtained from living things

organic

adjective
or·​gan·​ic | \ ȯr-ˈga-nik How to pronounce organic (audio) \

Kids Definition of organic

1 : relating to or obtained from living things organic matter
2 : relating to carbon compounds : containing carbon
3 : being, involving, or producing food grown or made without the use of artificial chemicals