organism

noun

or·​gan·​ism ˈȯr-gə-ˌni-zəm 

1

: a complex structure of interdependent and subordinate elements whose relations and properties are largely determined by their function in the whole

The nation is not merely the sum of individual citizens at any given time, but it is a living organism, a mystical body … of which the individual is an ephemeral part …

—Joseph Rossi

2

: an individual constituted to carry on the activities of life by means of parts or organs more or less separate in function but mutually dependent : a living being

a multicellular organism

organismic

ˌȯr-gə-ˈniz-mik 

adjective

or less commonly organismal

ˌȯr-gə-ˈniz-məl 

organismically

ˌȯr-gə-ˈniz-mi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of organism in a Sentence

A human being is a complex organism.

Recent Examples on the Web

Sites that preserve soft-bodied organisms are even rarer because soft tissues decompose more easily, making these places especially useful for piecing together prehistoric ecosystems. —Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 1 May 2026

The reasoning here seems to be that, prior to the last common ancestor of life on Earth, organisms experimented with various genetic codes and probably used a mix of proteins and catalytic RNAs to run their metabolisms. —ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2026

For now, Ec19 remains a 20-amino-acid organism. —Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 30 Apr. 2026

In addition, researchers are using synthetic biology to design organisms capable of detecting and breaking down environmental pollutants, offering new tools for bioremediation. —André O. Hudson, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1774, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing organism

• genetically modified organism
• mycoplasma-like organism
• pleuropneumonia-like organism

Rhymes for organism

• autism
• fascism
• racism
• sikhism
• statism
• sufism
• thomism
• tourism
• tropism
• abolitionism
• aldosteronism
• americanism

Kids Definition

organism

noun

or·​gan·​ism ˈȯr-gə-ˌniz-əm 

1

: something having many related parts that function together as a whole

2

: an individual living thing that carries on the activities of life by means of organs which have separate functions but are dependent on each other : a living person, plant, or animal

organismic

ˌȯr-gə-ˈniz-mik 

adjective

Medical Definition

organism

noun

or·​gan·​ism ˈȯr-gə-ˌniz-əm 

: an individual constituted to carry on the activities of life by means of organs separate in function but mutually dependent : a living being

organismic

ˌȯr-gə-ˈniz-mik 

adjective

also organismal

-məl 

organismically

-mi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb