organ

noun or·gan \ ˈȯr-gən \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Definition of organ

1 a archaic : any of various musical instruments; especially : wind instrument

b (1) : a keyboard instrument in which sets of pipes are sounded by compressed air and produce a variety of timbres — called also pipe organ

(2) : reed organ

(3) : an electronic keyboard instrument that approximates the sounds and resources of the pipe organ

(4) : any of various similar cruder instruments

2 a : a differentiated structure (such as a heart, kidney, leaf, or stem) consisting of cells and tissues and performing some specific function in an organism

b : bodily parts performing a function or cooperating in an activity

the eyes and related structures that make up the visual organs

3 : a subordinate group or organization that performs specialized functions

the various organs of government

4 : periodical

See organ defined for English-language learners

See organ defined for kids

Examples of organ in a Sentence

the legislative organ of our government
that newspaper is intended as an organ for the whole university community

Recent Examples of organ from the Web

Uncontrolled blood sugar can damage blood vessels and organs, and can kill people suddenly.

— NBC News, "Cheap blood pressure drug might slow diabetes," 9 July 2018
Toxoplasma courses through the body, targeting any combination of organs, including, in the case of females, the uterus, and for fetuses, the placenta.

— kim steutermann rogers, Smithsonian, "How the Tiniest of Parasites is Taking Down the Mightiest of Monk Seals," 9 July 2018
The Custody of the Holy Land — the Franciscan Order's organ in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Lebanon and Cyprus — has carried out several archaeological excavations around the region, focusing on sites with connections to the Bible.

— Fox News, "Franciscan museum in Jerusalem shows life in Jesus' time," 7 July 2018
Essential Einaudi will feature a six-piece accompaniment onstage with the composer, with multi-instrumentalists playing violin, cello, organ, synthesizers and electric, acoustic and bass guitar.

— taylor mims, Billboard, "Italian Composer Ludovico Einaudi Reaches New Audiences With Intimate North American Tour," 29 June 2018
During the labor movement’s years of decline, many came to see unions as a vestigial social organ, characterized by a stubbornly narrow focus on raising its members’ wages.

— livia gershon, Longreads, "Nurses, Unite!," 28 June 2018
In rare cases, the worms can squirm into organs, such as lungs, breasts, male genitalia, and eyes.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "Selfies show worm slithered through woman’s face for 2 weeks," 22 June 2018
In those individuals, Balaban says, further tests implicated damage to the ear's otolith organs, the utricle and the saccule, key to sensing gravity.

— richard stone, Science | AAAS, "Sonic attack or mass paranoia? New evidence stokes debate over diplomats’ mysterious illness," 20 June 2018
The placenta, that vital organ to which we were all once attached, takes on great significance — but usually only when pregnancy fails.

— tara shafer, Redbook, "I Lost a Baby at 33 Weeks — Now I'm Fighting to Spare Others the Same Pain," 19 June 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of organ

Middle English, partly from Old English organa, from Latin organum, from Greek organon, literally, tool, instrument; partly from Anglo-French organe, from Latin organum; akin to Greek ergon work — more at work

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

organ Synonyms

Synonyms

agency, agent, instrument, instrumentality, machinery, means, medium, ministry, vehicle;

weapon;

activator, animator, catalyst, driver, energizer, executor, generator, impetus, incentive, inspiration, instigation, instigator, launcher, mover, power, stimulus, trigger;

antecedent, cause, occasion, reason;

subagency, subagent;

Other Music Terms

cacophony, chorister, concerto, counterpoint, madrigal, obbligato, presto, refrain, riff, segue

organ-

combining form

variants: or organo-

Definition of organ-

1 : organ

organogenesis

2 : organic

organomercurial

Origin and Etymology of organ-

Greek organon

ORGAN Defined for English Language Learners

organ

noun

Definition of organ for English Language Learners

: a part of the body (such as the heart or liver) that has a particular function
—used as a polite way of saying penis
: a musical instrument that has a keyboard and pipes of different lengths and that makes sound by pushing air through the pipes