Etymology
Advertisement

organism (n.)

1660s, "organic structure, organization" (a sense now rare or obsolete), from organize + -ism. Sense of "living animal or plant, body exhibiting organic life" is by 1842. Related: Organismic; organismal.

Entries linking to organism

organize (v.)

early 15c., organisen, "to construct, establish," from Old French organiser and directly from Medieval Latin organizare, from Latin organum "instrument, organ" (see organ). Meaning "to form into a whole consisting of interdependent parts" is from 1630s. The intransitive sense of "assume an organic structure" is by 1880. Related: Organized; organizing; organizable.

-ism 
word-forming element making nouns implying a practice, system, doctrine, etc., from French -isme or directly from Latin -isma, -ismus (source also of Italian, Spanish -ismo, Dutch, German -ismus), from Greek -ismos, noun ending signifying the practice or teaching of a thing, from the stem of verbs in -izein, a verb-forming element denoting the doing of the noun or adjective to which it is attached. For distinction of use, see -ity. The related Greek suffix -isma(t)- affects some forms.

Others are reading

Advertisement
Advertisement
Definitions of organism

organism (n.)
a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently;
Synonyms: being
organism (n.)
a system considered analogous in structure or function to a living body;
the social organism
From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near organism

organelle

organic

organically

organisation

organiser

organism

organist

organization

organize

organized

organizer

© 2001-2021 Douglas Harper