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
Image in the Age of A.I. Like a living organism, the project has morphed and evolved alongside its founders.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 30 Nov. 2023
The notion reflected here, that living organisms are the immutable products of divine creation, was challenged in 1858 by the naturalists Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace.
—Adrian Woolfson, WSJ, 23 Nov. 2023
These genetic networks exist in all bilaterian organisms.
—Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2023
The sanctuary would also protect the ecological qualities of the area including marine mammals, birds, fish, sea turtles, algae and other organisms, as well as rocky reefs, kelp forests and beaches.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2023
But despite their low profile, mosses, which Kimmerer has compared to forests in miniature, complete with canopies of single-cell-thick leaves and diverse populations of microscopic organisms, play an outsize role in our ecosystem, regulating water tables and soil temperature.
—Jenny Comita, New York Times, 21 Nov. 2023
Fossils provide important insights about the existence and adaption of living organisms — over millions of years.
—Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 10 Nov. 2023
The neuroscientist Kevin Mitchell has argued that the free will of conscious organisms plays a role in determining what will happen in the brain, over and above what is settled by the laws of physics.
—Philip Goff, Scientific American, 7 Nov. 2023
And Shaevitz noted that a tissue’s multiscale liquid crystallinity could be related to embryogenesis — the process by which embryos mold themselves into organisms.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 25 Oct. 2023
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Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 30 Nov. 2023
The notion reflected here, that living organisms are the immutable products of divine creation, was challenged in 1858 by the naturalists Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace.
—Adrian Woolfson, WSJ, 23 Nov. 2023
These genetic networks exist in all bilaterian organisms.
—Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2023
The sanctuary would also protect the ecological qualities of the area including marine mammals, birds, fish, sea turtles, algae and other organisms, as well as rocky reefs, kelp forests and beaches.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2023
But despite their low profile, mosses, which Kimmerer has compared to forests in miniature, complete with canopies of single-cell-thick leaves and diverse populations of microscopic organisms, play an outsize role in our ecosystem, regulating water tables and soil temperature.
—Jenny Comita, New York Times, 21 Nov. 2023
Fossils provide important insights about the existence and adaption of living organisms — over millions of years.
—Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 10 Nov. 2023
The neuroscientist Kevin Mitchell has argued that the free will of conscious organisms plays a role in determining what will happen in the brain, over and above what is settled by the laws of physics.
—Philip Goff, Scientific American, 7 Nov. 2023
And Shaevitz noted that a tissue’s multiscale liquid crystallinity could be related to embryogenesis — the process by which embryos mold themselves into organisms.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 25 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'organism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
circa 1774, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing organism
Dictionary Entries Near organism
Cite this Entry
“Organism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/organism. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
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Kids 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
More from Merriam-Webster on organism
Nglish: Translation of organism for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of organism for Arabic Speakers
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