organic
organic Lexical Profile
organic Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Produced or involving production without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial agents.
"They prefer to buy organic vegetables from the local farmers' market."
Relating to or derived from living matter or biological organisms.
"The soil in the forest is rich in decaying organic matter."
Relating to the branch of chemistry concerned with compounds of carbon.
"Pre-med students are required to take two semesters of organic chemistry."
Developing in a natural, gradual, and harmonious manner without being forced or contrived; forming an integral part of a whole.
"The company's expansion was an organic process driven by word-of-mouth referrals."
Relating to a bodily organ or organs, especially regarding physical structure or pathology.
"The medical examination ruled out any organic cause for the patient's symptoms."
• noun
A food product or material produced by organic farming or composed of organic matter (usually used in the plural).
"The supermarket expanded its produce aisle to include a wider selection of organics."
An organic chemical compound.
"The water filtration system is designed to remove volatile organics from the drinking supply."
Word Nuance & Usage
In scientific chemistry, 'organic' strictly refers to carbon-containing compounds (which include many synthetic plastics and pesticides), whereas in everyday consumer usage, it refers to food grown without synthetic chemicals.
• Rhymes for organic
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Latin organicus and Ancient Greek organikos ('relating to an instrument or tool'), derived from organon ('instrument, tool, or bodily organ').