Etymologically
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organicus

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 18:04. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɔrˈɡa.nɪ.kʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [orˈɡaː.ni.kus][1]

Forms

organicus m (genitive organicī); second declension[1] Varro has a neuter organicon.[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ὀργανικός (organikós, “of instruments”), from ⟨órganon⟩ “tool, instrument”, Latin organum.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lucretius uses the noun organicus “musician”.[4][3] Köbler dates Lucretius 96–55 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant concerned with mechanical devices or instruments, mechanical, as in Vitruvius' tēlārum organica administrātiō “the mechanical working of looms”, and in music instrumental; as a noun it meant a player on an instrument, as in Lucretius.[2][5][4]

In Medieval Latin it meant organic.[6] British Medieval Latin used it of a body supplied with organs.[7] It gave English organic in the 1510s, “serving as an organ or instrument”.[8]

Timeline

  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses the noun.[4][3]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of machines.[2][3]
  • 1510s – English organic is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Mechanical, instrumental.[2]
  2. (music) Instrumental.[2]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Organic.[6]

Noun

  1. A musician.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com