organ

noun or·gan \ ˈȯr-gən \

Updated on: 18 May 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

Although ispace is now its own organ, its began as an appendage of a European organization called White Label Space.

— sarah scoles, WIRED, "The Japanese Space Bots That Could Build ‘Moon Valley’," 14 May 2018
Having an underactive thyroid proves that even your smaller organs can have a mighty effect on your health.

— carolyn l. todd, SELF, "Are Hashimoto’s Disease and Hypothyroidism the Same Thing?," 14 May 2018
Glory is the first neonatal organ donor at Fairview Hospital, according to Vinci.

— gus chan, cleveland.com, ""A connecting cord in our loss:" Art promotes healing for Lifebanc organ donor families," 15 Apr. 2018
Ayam Cemani chickens are black on the inside and out, with total pigmentation covering its organs as well as its feathers.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "None More Black Than This Chicken," 6 Apr. 2018
For instance, a recent study in the Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society notes that a Thai snake called the Spencer's mountain keelback (Opisthotropis spenceri) can rip apart freshwater crabs and devour their internal organs.

— douglas main, National Geographic, "This Snake Rips Its Prey Into Pieces, Instead of Swallowing it Whole," 6 Apr. 2018
For more information about how to become a live organ donor click here.

— maria clark, NOLA.com, "A six-way kidney swap unites three families," 1 Apr. 2018
Anyway, congratulations to all of us on our beautiful new (maybe) organs.

— madeleine aggeler, The Cut, "So Do I Have a New Organ or What?," 28 Mar. 2018
The ad earned her MAJOR backlash, because waist trainers literally crush your internal organs.

— kelsey stiegman, Seventeen, "Kylie Jenner Flaunts Her Bare Stomach 7 Weeks After Giving Birth to Stormi," 26 Mar. 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