organization English · revision 2848

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=early 15th century|origins=grc ὄργανον}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˌɔː.ɡən.aɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/, US /ˌɔːr.ɡən.əˈzeɪ.ʃən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|organisacioun]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|la-med|organizātiō]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) a noun of action from the past participle of [[m|la-med|organizāre]], from [[la|organum|t=instrument, organ]],^(Etymonline) from Greek [[grc|ὄργανον|tr=órganon|t=instrument, tool]], the source of [[organ]].^(Etymonline) The SOED forms it partly in English from [[organize]] and -ation.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Organic structure, the structure of the body or its parts, and the act of organizing, an arrangement of interdependent parts: the early 15th century,^(Etymonline) 1432–50 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Johnson (1755) defined it as a construction “in which the parts are so disposed as to be subservient to each other”.^(Johnson 1755) That which is organized, an organized structure or organism, is by 1707.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The act of putting things into systematic order is from 1816,^(OED 1989) and an organized body of people, such as a society, corporation or club, by 1829.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The sense “system, establishment, constitution” is from 1873.^(Etymonline) The disparaging ''organization man'', one who gives up his individuality to the organization he serves, is from the title of William H. Whyte's 1956 book.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) In medieval music, organization was the singing of organum.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1432–50 – the act of organizing; organic structure.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1707 – an organized structure.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1816 – arranging in systematic form.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1829 – an organized body of people.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1956 – ''organization man''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A group of people organized for a particular purpose, such as a [[business]], [[society]] or club.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # The act or process of organizing.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The way in which the parts of something are arranged; structure.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Efficient arrangement or planning.^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[organizational]]

+ * [[organizationally]]

+ * [[antiorganization]]

+ * [[inorganization]]

+ * [[misorganization]]

+ * [[nonorganization]]

+ * [[preorganization]]

+ * [[suborganization]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[organize]]

+ * [[organ]]

+ * [[organism]]

+ * [[organic]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The spelling ''organisation'' is common in British English.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}