An organism is an animal or plant, especially one that is so small that you cannot see it without using a microscope.
Not all chemicals normally present in living organisms are harmless.
...the insect-borne organisms that cause sleeping sickness.
Synonyms: creature, being, thing, body [informal] More Synonyms of organism
organism in British English
(ˈɔːɡəˌnɪzəm)
noun
1.
any living biological entity, such as an animal, plant, fungus, or bacterium
2.
anything resembling a living creature in structure, behaviour, etc
Derived forms
organismal (ˌorganˈismal) or organismic (ˌorganˈismic)
adjective
organismally (ˌorganˈismally)
adverb
organism in American English
(ˈɔrgəˌnɪzəm)
noun
1.
any individual animal, plant, bacterium, etc. having various parts or systems that function togetheras a whole to maintain life and its activities
2.
anything resembling a living thing in its complexity of structure or functions
Derived forms
organismic (ˌorganˈismic)
adjective or ˌorganˈismal
organismically (ˌorganˈismically)
adverb
Examples of 'organism' in a sentence
organism
The activity of this organism inside the plant cells leads to swelling and distorted growth.
The Sun (2009)
But they work equally well seen as exotic plants or marine organisms.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
People are merely biological organisms just like any other life form.
Christianity Today (2000)
The final sections of the treatise concern the ways in which one organism can affect another across distance.
The Times Literary Supplement (2012)
It contains biological organisms which get rid of pond algae and digest the organic waste it feeds on.
The Sun (2011)
Because biological organisms are so complex it is important that the details of biological experiments are recorded in great detail.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
One way to genetically modify a plant or animal is by using a virus to get genes from one organism to another.
The Sun (2013)
Growth of a social organism such as a business is as much stress and strain as growth is in a biological organism.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGEMENT: task, responsibilities, practices (1974)
The dogma is true for all contemporary organisms, with one or two possible exceptions.
Dyson, Freeman Infinite in All Directions (1989)
They're small, leathery organisms that live attached to hard surfaces.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
These organisms are small and rarely noticed, much like relative nobody Preston.
The Sun (2006)
We are objects, beings in physical space, subject to the same causal laws as other biological organisms.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Small organisms have a much simpler structure and physiology, more vulnerable to most changes, yet more able to recover quickly.
Michael Boulter EXTINCTION: Evolution and the End of Man (2002)
The sand has a slight pink tone, caused by organisms in the sea, which is a marvel when seen for the first time.
The Sun (2012)
For, unlike biological organisms, a social organization such as a business does not have a size entirely determined by forces over which it has no control.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGEMENT: task, responsibilities, practices (1974)
In other languages
organism
British English: organism /ˈɔːɡəˌnɪzəm/ NOUN
An organism is a living thing.
...tiny organisms such as bacteria.
American English: organism
Arabic: كَائِنٌ حَيٌّ
Brazilian Portuguese: organismo
Chinese: 生物体
Croatian: organizam
Czech: organismus
Danish: organism
Dutch: organisme
European Spanish: organismo
Finnish: organismi
French: organisme
German: Organismus
Greek: οργανισμός βιολογία
Italian: organismo
Japanese: 有機体
Korean: 유기체
Norwegian: organisme
Polish: organizm
European Portuguese: organismo
Romanian: organism
Russian: организм
Latin American Spanish: organismo
Swedish: organism
Thai: สิ่งมีชีวิตเช่นพืชและสัตว์
Turkish: organizma
Ukrainian: організм
Vietnamese: sinh vật
Chinese translation of 'organism'
organism
(ˈɔːɡənɪzəm)
n(c)
生物体(體) (shēngwùtǐ) (个(個), gè)
(noun)
Definition
an animal or plant
Not all chemicals present in living organisms are harmless.
Synonyms
creature
Many cultures believe that every living creature possesses a spirit.
being
beings from outer space
thing
The Earth is mainly made of iron and silicon and things like that.
body (informal)
animal
I was attacked by wild animals.
structure
beast
the threats our ancestors faced from wild beasts
entity
the concept of the earth as a living entity
living thing
critter (US, dialect)
Seecreature
Synonyms of 'organism'
organism
Explore 'organism' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of body
Definition
a person
Synonyms
person,
being,
human,
individual,
creature,
human being,
mortal
in the sense of entity
Definition
something that exists in its own right and not merely as part of a bigger thing
the concept of the earth as a living entity
Synonyms
thing,
being,
body (informal),
individual,
object,
presence,
existence,
substance,
quantity,
creature,
organism
in the sense of thing
The Earth is mainly made of iron and silicon and things like that.