Definition of Organism

1. Noun. A living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently.


2. Noun. A system considered analogous in structure or function to a living body. "The social organism"
Generic synonyms: Scheme, System
Derivative terms: Organismal

Definition of Organism

1. n. Organic structure; organization.

Definition of Organism

1. Noun. (biology) A discrete and complete living thing, such as animal, plant, fungus or microorganism. ¹

2. Noun. (context: by extension) Any complex thing with properties normally associated with living things. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Organism

1. any form of animal or plant life [n -S]

Medical Definition of Organism

1. Any individual living thing, whether animal or plant. This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology (11 Mar 2008)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Organism

organisation charts
organisation mondiale de la sant'
organisational
organisational chart
organisationally
organisations
organise
organised
organised crime
organised pneumonia
organiser
organisers
organises
organising
organising centre
organism (current term)
organismal
organismal density
organismic
organismically
organisms
organist
organista
organistas
organists
organity
organiz'd
organizability
organizable
organization

Literary usage of Organism

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the by Charles George Herbermann, Edward Aloysius Pace, Condé Bénoist Pallen, Thomas Joseph Shahan, John Joseph Wynne (1913)
"(sometimes called (ecology) observes how an organism acte with regard to its environment; that is, it describes the mode of nutrition, dwelling-place (oí«») ..."

2. The Journal of Infectious Diseases by Infectious Diseases Society of America, John Rockefeller McCormick Memorial Fund, John McCormick Institute for Infectious Diseases (1915)
"Altho this organism resembled a spirochete in some respects, ... The organism was isolated in pure culture eight times. It produced a rhinitis in the human ..."

3. Surgery, Gynecology & Obstetrics by The American College of Surgeons, Franklin H. Martin Memorial Foundation (1922)
"Blanc in 1826, it was not until 1877 that Bollinger and Hartz discovered the specific micro-organism and gave to it the name actinomycosis bovis. ..."

4. Principles of General Physiology by William Maddock Bayliss (1920)
"It is doubtful whether, normally, further oxidation takes place along this path, since oxalic acid is only oxidised with great difficulty in the organism ..."

5. Report (1904)
"The organism was somewhat pleomorphic, the same preparation showing bacilli ... The organism was not motile, but the Brownian movement was pronounced and ..."

6. The Encyclopædia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and by Hugh Chisholm (1911)
"Nevertheless great importance has been attached, in certain cases, to the forms assumed by the young organism when it breaks loose from its embryonic bonds. ..."

7. The Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte by Auguste COMTE, Frederic Harrison (1896)
"In accordance with what has been said of the mutual relations of the organism and its environment, we must bear in mind that experiments in physiology must ..."

Other Resources:

Search for Organism on Dictionary.com!Search for Organism on Thesaurus.com!Search for Organism on Google!Search for Organism on Wikipedia!