organism

From Ancient Greek ὄργανον (órganon, “tool, instrument”), from Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- (“work”).

• enPR: ôr′gənĭzəm
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɔː.ɡən.ɪ.zəm/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɔɹ.ɡən.ɪ.zəm/

• Audio (US)

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organism (plural organisms)

1. (biology) A discrete and complete living thing, such as animal, plant, fungus or microorganism.
   • 2013 July 20, “Welcome to the plastisphere”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:

     Plastics are energy-rich substances, which is why many of them burn so readily. Any organism that could unlock and use that energy would do well in the Anthropocene. Terrestrial bacteria and fungi which can manage this trick are already familiar to experts in the field.

2. (by extension) Any complex thing with properties normally associated with living things.

• See also Thesaurus:organism

• free-living organism
• organismal
• organismic

• moringas, roamings, sinogram