organ

noun or·gan \ ˈȯr-gən \

Updated on: 7 Apr 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

One cadaver can donate two kidneys, as well as a heart, a liver, a pancreas, and perhaps other organs.

— paul root wolpe, Vox, "A human head transplant would be reckless and ghastly. It’s time to talk about it.," 2 Apr. 2018
Sometimes mistaken for cystic fibrosis, PCD affects the hairlike structures called cilia that line the airways, reproductive tract and other organs.

— sandra g. boodman, Washington Post, "Why did a little girl have a persistent ‘smoker’s cough’?," 31 Mar. 2018
There are more people waiting for kidney transplants than any other organ.

— lauren castle, azcentral, "Man's shirt: 'Kidney donor needed, Type B+, Ask me how.'," 30 Mar. 2018
Rita struggled with heart failure, a chronic, progressive disease in which the heart is unable to supply adequate blood flow to other organs.

— billboard staff, Billboard, "Queen Latifah's Mom Rita Owens Dies After Battle With Heart Condition," 21 Mar. 2018
The New England Aquarium said in a statement that a necropsy revealed the porpoise’s liver and other organs had been compromised by an unusually high number of parasites.

— laney ruckstuhl, BostonGlobe.com, "Pregnant porpoise dies on Dorchester Bay shore during the last nor’easter," 10 Mar. 2018
But there have also been rare reports of life-threatening allergic reactions and damage to the nervous system and other internal organs.

— megan molteni, WIRED, "When WhatsApp's Fake News Problem Threatens Public Health," 9 Mar. 2018
As a result, the central nervous system, kidneys, liver and other organs will fail.

— fabian schmidt, USA TODAY, "Ex-Russian spy attacked with unknown nerve agent. Here are the top 5 deadly poisons," 9 Mar. 2018
Even when the uterus is removed, remaining tissue or lesions on other organs can still cause inflammation and pain over time.

— elizabeth varnell, Vogue, "Why Lena Dunham's Choice to Get a Hysterectomy Matters to Women With Endometriosis," 14 Feb. 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

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