organic

1 of 2

adjective

or·​gan·​ic ȯr-ˈga-nik 

1

a(1)

: of, relating to, yielding, or involving the use of food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides

organic farming

organic produce

(2)

: of, relating to, or derived from living organisms

organic evolution

b(1)

: relating to, being, or dealt with by a branch of chemistry concerned with the carbon compounds of living beings and most other carbon compounds

studied organic chemistry in college

(2)

: of, relating to, or containing carbon compounds

organic solvents

2

a

: having systematic coordination of parts : organized

He thinks of the city not as a collection of different neighborhoods but as an organic whole.

b

: forming an integral element of a whole : fundamental

That scene was an organic part of the movie.

c

: having the characteristics of an organism : developing in the manner of a living plant or animal

society is organic

many new coinages … stem from the normal organic structure of the language

—William Chomsky

3

a

: of, relating to, or arising in a bodily organ

b

: affecting the structure of the organism

an organic disease

4

: of, relating to, or constituting the law by which a government or organization exists

… their nation has written the separation of church and state into its organic law …

—Paul Blanshard

5

archaic : instrumental

organically

ȯr-ˈga-ni-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

organicity

ˌȯr-gə-ˈni-sə-tē 

noun

organic

2 of 2

noun

: an organic substance: such as

a

: a fertilizer of plant or animal origin

And, adding organics … to your soil will make the pool that can be utilized by the plant much greater.

—Jeff Lowenfels

b

: a pesticide whose active component is an organic compound or a mixture of organic compounds

Most of the pesticides I use are organics that are very safe to use. However, there are three weed killers I continue to use that are old fashioned chemicals.

—Allen Wilson

c

: a food produced by organic farming

Also, expect more canned organics … along the lines of the adzuki and garbanzo beans …

—Judy Krizmanic

Examples of organic in a Sentence

Adjective

He thinks of the city not as a collection of different neighborhoods but as an organic whole.

This neighborhood is an organic part of the city.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Swifties began their own tribal rituals that became part of the tour, after starting out on a strictly organic grass-roots level — most notably, the friendship-bracelet craze. —Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 12 Dec. 2025

Extracts of cinnamon, and in particular several organic volatiles and essential oil compounds extracted from cinnamon, have yielded some pretty impressive results in terms of deterring insect and fungal activity. —Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 12 Dec. 2025

Noun

Future samples will likely contain mixtures of organics from multiple sources, some biological and some not. —Amirali Aghazadeh, The Conversation, 12 Dec. 2025

The release covered how the grant is the second that the state DEP has issued to the city to purchase curbside organics collection carts. —Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 29 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Noun

1840, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing organic

• certified organic
• organic brain syndrome
• organic chemistry

Rhymes for organic

• botanic
• brahmanic
• britannic
• galvanic
• germanic
• hispanic
• koranic
• mechanic
• puranic
• quranic
• romanic
• satanic

Kids Definition

organic

adjective

or·​gan·​ic

ȯr-ˈgan-ik

1

a

: of, relating to, or arising in a bodily organ

b

: affecting the structure of the living thing

an organic disease

2

a

: of, relating to, or obtained from living things

organic matter

b

: of, relating to, or containing carbon compounds

c

: of, relating to, or dealt with by a branch of chemistry concerned with the carbon compounds of living things and most other carbon compounds

d

: relating to, producing, dealing in, or involving foods produced with the use of feed or fertilizer obtained from plants or animals and without the use of laboratory-made fertilizers, growth substances, antibiotics, or pesticides

organic gardeners

organic food stores

3

a

: forming an important part of a whole : fundamental

b

: having the parts related together

an organic whole

organically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Medical Definition

organic

1 of 2 adjective

or·​gan·​ic ȯr-ˈgan-ik 

1

a

: of, relating to, or arising in a bodily organ

b

: affecting the structure of the organism

an organic disease

compare functional sense 1b

2

a(1)

: of, relating to, or derived from living organisms

(2)

: relating to, yielding, dealing in, or involving the use of food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides

organic stores

b(1)

: of, relating to, or containing carbon compounds

(2)

: relating to, being, or dealt with by a branch of chemistry concerned with the carbon compounds of living beings and most other carbon compounds

organically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

organicity

ˌȯr-gə-ˈnis-ət-ē 

noun

plural organicities

organic

2 of 2 noun

: an organic substance: as

a

: a fertilizer of plant or animal origin

b

: a pesticide whose active component is an organic compound or a mixture of organic compounds