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
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
William Chomsky3
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
Paul Blanshard5
archaic
: instrumental
: 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
Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 19 Mar. 2025
The stunning knit is made from 100 percent organic cotton, boasting the most flattering, drapey fit that pairs well with anything from trousers to a pair of linen shorts.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2025
Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2025
This combination of rock, water and organics is one reason OSIRIS-REx chose to sample the organic-rich asteroid Bennu, where water and organic compounds essential to the origin of life could be found.
—Ars Technica, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for organic
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Adjective
Parachute Eco Mattress $2,400 $1,920 Parachute Like all the bedding on Parachute’s site, the Eco mattress is made with utmost craftsmanship and high-quality materials—in this case pure New Zealand wool and 100% organic cotton.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 19 Mar. 2025
The stunning knit is made from 100 percent organic cotton, boasting the most flattering, drapey fit that pairs well with anything from trousers to a pair of linen shorts.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
These synthetic fertilizers, are usually cheaper than organics, provide rapid results, but can more easily burn our plants.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2025
This combination of rock, water and organics is one reason OSIRIS-REx chose to sample the organic-rich asteroid Bennu, where water and organic compounds essential to the origin of life could be found.
—Ars Technica, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for organic
Cite this Entry
“Organic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/organic. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical 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
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
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