organic

Alternative forms

• organick (obsolete)

Etymology

From Old French organique

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɔːˈɡænɪk/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɔɹˈɡænɪk/

  • Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -ænɪk

Adjective

organic (comparative more organic, superlative most organic)

1. (biology) Pertaining to or derived from living organisms.
2. (physiology, medicine) Pertaining to an organ of the body of a living organism.
3. (chemistry) Relating to the compounds of carbon, relating to natural products
4. (agriculture) Of food or food products, grown in an environment free from artificial agrichemicals, and possibly certified by a regulatory body.
5. (sociology) Describing a form of social solidarity theorized by Emile Durkheim that is characterized by voluntary engagements in complex interdepencies for mutual benefit (such as business agreements), rather than mechanical solidarity, which depends on ascribed relations between people (as in a family or tribe).
6. (military) Of a military unit or formation, or its elements, belonging to a permanent organization (in contrast to being temporarily attached).
   • 1998: Eyal Ben-Ari, Mastering Soldiers: Conflict, Emotions, and the Enemy in an Israeli Military Unit. Beghahn Books, p 29.

     Socially, the term “organic” unit implies a military force characterized by relatively high cohesion, overlapping primary groups and a certain sense of shared past.

   • 1945: U.S. War Department, Handbook on German Military Forces. LSU Press (1990). p 161.

     Most types of German field divisions include an organic reconnaissance battalion, and the remainder have strong reconnaissance companies.

7. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to a certain destined function or end.
   • Milton

     those organic arts which enable men to discourse and write perspicuously

8. (Internet, of search results) Generated according to the ranking algorithms of a search engine, as opposed to paid placement by advertisers.
   • 2008, Michael Masterson, MaryEllen Tribby, Changing the Channel: 12 Easy Ways to Make Millions for Your Business

     According to a recent survey by Jupiter Research, 80 percent of Web users get information from organic search results.

9. Developing in a gradual or natural fashion.

   The writing of the script was an organic process.

10. Harmonious; coherent; structured.

    The production came together in an organic whole.

Noun

organic (plural organics)

1. (chemistry) An organic compound.
2. An organic food.
3. (science fiction) A living organism, as opposed to a robot or hologram.

See also

• inorganic

Further reading

• "organic" in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 227.

Anagrams

• Goričan, agrocin