organic English · revision 5495

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1400|origins=grc ὄργανον}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ɔːˈɡæn.ɪk/, US /ɔːrˈɡæn.ɪk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|organicus]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[grc|ὀργανικός|tr=organikós|t=of an instrument or organ]], from [[m|grc|ὄργανον|tr=órganon|t=instrument, tool]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The earliest Middle English organik came through Old French organique and Medieval Latin organicus;^(Barnhart 1988) the later uses were borrowed again from Latin.^(Barnhart 1988) See [[organ]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of parts of the body, having special properties or functions: before 1400, in Lanfranc's Science of Surgery.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Serving as an instrument or means is from 1517.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) In physiology, relating to the organs of the body, as in ''organic disease'', it is from 1706,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) and having organs, derived from living beings, from 1778.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) In chemistry, of compounds of carbon that occur naturally in plants and animals, it is first found in Faraday's Chemical Manipulation (1827);^(Barnhart 1988) ''organic chemistry'' is from 1831.^(Etymonline) Belonging to the constitution of a thing, fundamental, is from 1796.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides is from 1942.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1400 – of body parts.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1517 – serving as an instrument.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1706 – of the bodily organs.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1778 – having organs, living.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1827 – in chemistry.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1942 – grown without pesticides.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Produced or grown without artificial [[fertilizer|alt=fertilizers]] or [[pesticide|alt=pesticides]]: ''organic vegetables''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Of or coming from living plants or animals.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(chemistry)'' Of compounds containing [[carbon]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(medicine)'' Affecting the organs of the body.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Developing naturally and gradually, as part of a whole.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[organically]]

+ * [[organicity]]

+ * [[organicalness]]

+ * [[bioorganic]]

+ * [[homorganic]]

+ * [[hyperorganic]]

+ * [[nonorganic]]

+ * [[organicism]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[organ]]

+ * [[organism]]

+ * [[organize]]

+ * [[inorganic]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}