organ

noun

or·gan | \ˈȯr-gən

Definition of organ

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a 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

2a : 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

organ-

combining form

variants: or organo-

Definition of organ- (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : organ organogenesis

2 : organic organomercurial

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about organ

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Examples of organ in a Sentence

Noun

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Plastic particles have been found to be absorbed from the gut into other organ systems in fish and mammals; in birds and fish, plastics in the gut have caused liver stress and problems with nutrient absorption. — Cathleen O'grady, Ars Technica, "Plastic found in the poop of eight people from eight different countries," 24 Oct. 2018 But protein serves a lot of other important purposes, like being the building blocks for muscles and organs, forming enzymes that support basic life functions, and building and repairing tissue, Davis says. — Colleen Stinchcombe, Redbook, "What Are Macros, Exactly?," 27 Aug. 2018 Like adults in withdrawal, infants feel the effects in every organ system; their symptoms include tremors, muscle spasms, shrill crying, irritability, diarrhea, vomiting, poor sleeping, and seizures. — Marie Mccullough, Philly.com, "Newborns in opioid withdrawal may do better on methadone than morphine, major study finds," 18 June 2018 Hyperthyroidism: An overactive thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone, which can interfere with various organs, including the brain. — Dr. Patty Khuly, miamiherald, "When an older cat suddenly meows nonstop, it's time to visit the vet | Miami Herald," 23 May 2018 Reiser believes suPAR is an ancient and unspecific way for the immune system to send urgent signals to the major organ systems when an organism faces a severe challenge from disease or the environment. — Stephen S. Hall, Science | AAAS, "What's your risk of kidney disease, heart attack, or diabetes? A single molecule can tell," 19 Apr. 2018 The old pillars of medical school — pathology, anatomy, histology and pharmacology — are now woven into courses organized by organ system. — Gary Robbins, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Timeline: The illustrated history of the UC San Diego School of Medicine," 18 Mar. 2018 Thyroid hormones can impact lots of different body parts and organ systems, so the symptoms of Graves' can have a wide variety. — Emma Baty, Cosmopolitan, "Wendy Williams Diagnosed With Graves' Disease, Announces Show Hiatus," 21 Feb. 2018 These organs work together to cleanse your body from head to toe. — Madelyn Fernstrom, NBC News, "Health Matters: Is a "detox diet" good or bad for your health?," 13 July 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.

History and Etymology for organ

Noun

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

Combining form

Greek organon

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