organism

noun or·gan·ism \ ˈȯr-gə-ˌni-zəm \

|Updated on: 5 Aug 2018

Definition of organism

1 : a complex structure of interdependent and subordinate elements whose relations and properties are largely determined by their function in the whole

the nation is not merely the sum of individual citizens at any given time, but it is a living organism, a mystical body … of which the individual is an ephemeral part
—Joseph Rossi

2 : an individual constituted to carry on the activities of life by means of parts or organs more or less separate in function but mutually dependent : a living being

a multicellular organism

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organismic

play \ˌȯr-gə-ˈniz-mik\ or less commonly organismal play \ˌȯr-gə-ˈniz-məl\ adjective

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organismically

play \ˌȯr-gə-ˈniz-mi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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Examples of organism in a Sentence

A human being is a complex organism.

Recent Examples of organism from the Web

Microbiologists in the Netherlands decided to test this notion by re-creating a primitive organism with a hybrid-lipid membrane.

— prachi patel, Scientific American, "Engineered Microbe Shakes Up the Tree of Life," 13 July 2018
This poses new questions for how to develop and evaluate gene-drive organisms.

— anthony a. james, STAT, "Gene-drive technology must be developed in a safe, ethical way," 10 July 2018
According to a press release, researchers pulverized some of the rock to try and extract molecules from any ancient organisms trapped inside.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Pink Was the First Color of Life on Earth," 10 July 2018
With a mass spectrometer, such a spacecraft could better characterize the composition of the icy particles, and a very capable microscope might be able to detect organisms.

— eric berger, Ars Technica, "Senior scientist argues that we should bypass Europa for Enceladus," 5 July 2018
Many organisms use light-sensitive proteins to gather the sun’s energy and help them survive.

— shandria sutton, Science | AAAS, "New ‘light-eating’ protein discovered in the Sea of Galilee," 5 July 2018
Jared Leto is many things: a musician, a vegan, an Academy Award–winning actor, and a loving host to a sentient organism disguised as beautifully flowing hair.

— joshua rivera, GQ, "Jared Leto Is the Star of the Next Spider-Man Spinoff," 27 June 2018
Few companies are better poised to analyze this organism than Google.

— mark bergen, chicagotribune.com, "Google is training machines to predict when a patient will die," 25 June 2018
Quagga and zebra mussels siphon in water to pluck out microscopic organisms that can throw food chains out of balance, and their sheer numbers in attaching to surfaces can clog pipes at reservoirs and damage boat motors.

— seattle times staff, The Seattle Times, "Washington state plans to use dog to detect invasive mussels on boats," 23 June 2018

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