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organism definition

or·gan·ism (ôr′gə niz′əm)

noun

  1. any individual animal, plant, bacterium, etc. having various parts or systems that function together as a whole to maintain life and its activities
  2. anything resembling a living thing in its complexity of structure or functions

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

medical organism definition - medical

organism Synonyms

organism

n.

person, organic structure, bion, morphon, physiological individual, morphological individual; see also animal 1, body 1, plant.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

organism Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • modify: Examples are trials with genetically modified organism, radioactive substances or involving medical devices.

Modifies a noun

  • biology: In Biological Sciences, the research emphasis is focussed on whole organism biology.

Adjective modifier

  • pathogenic: Intact skin provides an effective barrier to invasion by pathogenic organisms - it is an important part of the body's external defense mechanisms.

Preposition: on

  • planet: Bacteria Bacteria are possibly the most numerous types of organisms on the planet.

Noun used with modifier

  • micro: The micro organisms find it very difficult to settle or reproduce.
organism usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

organism quotes

The problems of the world, AIDS, cancer, nuclear war, pollution, are, finally, no more solvable than the problems of a tree which has borne fruit: the apples are overripe and theyare fallingöwhat can be done?† What can be done about the problems which beset our life? Nothing can be done, and nothing needs to be done. Something is being doneöthe organism is preparing to rest.

-Mamet, David Alan

Man is an over-complicated organism. If he is doomed to extinction he will die out for want of simplicity.

-Pound, Ezra Loomis

organism quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"organism." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/organism>

APA Style

organism. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/organism

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