organism
noun
or·gan·ism
ˈȯr-gə-ˌni-zəm 
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
Joseph Rossi2
: 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
Examples of organism in a Sentence
A human being is a complex organism.
Recent Examples on the Web
Many earlier drives failed because target organisms developed mutations, thus preventing CRISPR cutting.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 27 Feb. 2026
This level of preservation gives researchers a look at these ancient organisms beyond their outward shapes, offering evidence of how their bodies actually functioned.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026
According to Han, the Huayuan biota represents the first major discovery of soft-bodied organisms that lived directly after the Sinsk event.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
The process of pasteurization, heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time, kills harmful organisms responsible for diseases such as listeriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria, Q fever, and brucellosis, according to the FDA.
—Gma Team, ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for organism
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Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 27 Feb. 2026
This level of preservation gives researchers a look at these ancient organisms beyond their outward shapes, offering evidence of how their bodies actually functioned.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026
According to Han, the Huayuan biota represents the first major discovery of soft-bodied organisms that lived directly after the Sinsk event.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
The process of pasteurization, heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time, kills harmful organisms responsible for diseases such as listeriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria, Q fever, and brucellosis, according to the FDA.
—Gma Team, ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for organism
Cite this Entry
“Organism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/organism. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
organism
noun
or·gan·ism
ˈȯr-gə-ˌniz-əm
1
: something having many related parts that function together as a whole
2
: an individual living thing that carries on the activities of life by means of organs which have separate functions but are dependent on each other : a living person, plant, or animal
Medical Definition
organism
noun
or·gan·ism
ˈȯr-gə-ˌniz-əm
: an individual constituted to carry on the activities of life by means of organs separate in function but mutually dependent : a living being
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