inorganic

adjective

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in·or·gan·ic | \ ˌin-(ˌ)ȯr-ˈga-nik

Definition of inorganic

1a(1) : being or composed of matter other than plant or animal : mineral

(2) : forming or belonging to the inanimate world

b : of, relating to, or dealt with by a branch of chemistry concerned with substances not usually classed as organic

2 : not arising from natural growth : artificial also : lacking structure, character, or vitality dull inorganic things, without individuality or prestige — John Buchan

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Examples of inorganic in a Sentence

producing energy from inorganic materials

Recent Examples on the Web And it’s the first inorganic blue pigment discovered in more than 200 years. — Mark Thiessen, National Geographic, "Episode 7: An Accidental Case of the Blues," 8 Dec. 2020 Many years ago, organic humanity chose to initiate the sequences to upload their minds onto an inorganic platform and thereby attain immortality. — Lettie Prell, Wired, "The Future of Work: ‘Collaborative Configurations of Minds’ by Lettie Prell," 4 Dec. 2020 Javier Garcia Martinez is a professor of inorganic chemistry and director of the Molecular Nanotechnology Laboratory at the University of Alicante. — Scientific American, "Contributors to 'Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2020'," 17 Nov. 2020 The spongy substance is not exactly a new form of calcium carbonate, says Fiona Meldrum, a professor of inorganic chemistry at the University of Leeds who was not part of the new study. — Eva Botkin-kowacki, The Christian Science Monitor, "Science on the half shell: Mussels yield new material," 10 Nov. 2020 Some sampled organic and inorganic gases, while others counted particles. — Matt Simon, Wired, "What Happens When You Fly a Science Plane Through Wildfire Smoke," 3 Nov. 2020 The fertilizer Lawes manufactured contained a soluble, inorganic form of phosphorus that plants can readily use. — Julia Rosen, National Geographic, "Farmers are facing a phosphorus crisis. The solution starts with soil.," 14 Oct. 2020 Traditional green and red antifreezes rely on inorganic additive technology, which adds phosphates and silicates to prevent corrosion in your cooling system. — Mike Allen, Popular Mechanics, "How to Maintain and Flush a Cooling System So Your Car Doesn’t Overheat," 27 Aug. 2020 The five-year grant will fund research on an implant that can be bioprinted—a method of 3D printing using living cells instead of inorganic materials—and will then study the most effective schedules for releasing viruses into the body. — Daniel Oberhaus, Wired, "A Common Plant Virus Is an Unlikely Ally in the War on Cancer," 5 Oct. 2020

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