inorganic

adjective in·or·gan·ic \ ˌin-(ˌ)ȯr-ˈga-nik \

|Updated on: 11 Jun 2018

Examples: inorganic in a Sentence

Definition of inorganic

1 a (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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inorganically

play \ˌin-(ˌ)ȯr-ˈga-ni-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See inorganic defined for English-language learners

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Examples of inorganic in a Sentence

producing energy from inorganic materials

Recent Examples of inorganic from the Web

As Boston descended into winter, Subbarow began to spend every waking moment in the lab, working with associate professor Dr. Cyrus Fiske on a new method to measure the amount of inorganic phosphorus in biologic tissue.

— aaron gilbreath, Longreads, "We Are Scientists," 5 June 2018
This dreadful indie comedy rarely replicates life, instead offering dialogue that someone thought was funny said by awful characters in the midst of inorganic situations.

— kimber myers, latimes.com, "Supposed comedy 'Funeral Day' is every bit as unpleasant as its title suggests," 31 May 2018
But the executive order in March to ban the import of inorganic produce from neighboring states threw the state into turmoil, with prices of cabbage tripling in the markets, traders in revolt and the opposition party marching in protest.

— annie gowen, Washington Post, "Pesticides helped bring modern farming to India. One tiny state is leading the charge to ban them.," 31 May 2018
That number lines up with measurements taken of bricks and other inorganic objects measured at the time.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "New Study Shows Full Extent of Radiation Damage to Hiroshima Victims," 1 May 2018
Climate change, the over-use of inorganic pesticides, and GMO monocultures have all severely depleted the bees’ natural sources of forage.

— rebecca straus, Good Housekeeping, "6 Things You Need To Know About Organic Beekeeping Before Starting A Backyard Hive," 16 Feb. 2017
Breathing high levels of inorganic arsenic can give you a sore throat or irritated lungs.

— jennie key, Cincinnati.com, "Officials: Taylor Creek Youth Organization sports field contaminated with lead, arsenic," 7 May 2018
Organic compounds like tobacco and paper are composted and used to create specific types of fertilizer, while inorganic components — namely, the filters — are cleaned and shredded.

— anna orso, Philly.com, "Turning Philly's cigarette butts into park benches," 30 Mar. 2018
Such changes are detectable in changes in the carbon isotope ratio between biological and inorganic carbon—that is, between the carbon incorporated into things like seashells and that which goes instead into lifeless volcanic rock.

— steven ashley, Scientific American, "Could an Industrial Prehuman Civilization Have Existed on Earth Before Ours?," 23 Apr. 2018

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.

First Known Use of inorganic

1729

in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

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INORGANIC Defined for English Language Learners

inorganic

adjective

Definition of inorganic for English Language Learners

: made from or containing material that does not come from plants or animals

Medical Dictionary

inorganic

adjective in·or·gan·ic \ ˌin-ˌȯr-ˈgan-ik \

medical Definition of inorganic

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

an inorganic heart

b : forming or belonging to the inanimate world

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

—

inorganically

play \-i-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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See words that rhyme with inorganic Spanish Central: Translation of inorganic Nglish: Translation of inorganic for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of inorganic for Arabic speakers

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inorganic

Definition of inorganic

inorganically

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INORGANIC Defined for English Language Learners

inorganic

Definition of inorganic for English Language Learners

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inorganic

medical Definition of inorganic

inorganically

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