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

Other Words from inorganic Example Sentences Phrases Containing inorganic Learn More About inorganic

Examples of inorganic in a Sentence

producing energy from inorganic materials

Recent Examples on the Web The lender rose to become Nigeria’s biggest bank in assets from 65th position 20 years ago, following organic and inorganic growth in its home country and a series of acquisitions across Africa, Wigwe said. — Emele Onu, Bloomberg.com, 30 Mar. 2022 In general, growth is considered either inorganic or organic. — Andrew Brooks, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2022 The regional government of Murcia, some 240 miles southeast of Madrid, announced Wednesday that the use of inorganic nitrogen fertilizers at farms within 1,640 yards of the Mar Menor lagoon is to be prohibited. — Compiled Democrat-gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 26 Aug. 2021 These creepy crawlers breath out CO2 – returning some inorganic carbon to the atmosphere – and use the rest to move around, make babies, and all of that. — Erik Kobayashi-solomon, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2022 The last category of approaches in the report relates to inorganic carbon in the ocean, known as alkalinity. — Scott K. Johnson, Ars Technica, 14 Dec. 2021 Replace bark mulch with very fine compost if inorganic mulching is not an option. — oregonlive, 31 Mar. 2022 In-season, soil between developing crops can be covered with either inorganic or organic mulch. — Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2022 Subsequent investigation of these microfossils showed that they were almost certainly formed by boring, inorganic processes. — Steven Poole, WSJ, 23 Mar. 2022 See More

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.