Organism
/ˈɔːrɡənɪzəm/
Definitions
2 meaningsAn individual form of life, such as a plant, animal, bacterium, protist, or fungus; a body or system of organs that function together.
/ˈɔːrɡənɪzəm/
A living thing
A single-celled organism is the simplest form of life.
💡 Simply: Imagine a tiny, self-contained living thing, like a plant or a bug! An organism is any of these tiny things that has its own life and can grow.
👶 For kids: A living thing, like a dog, a tree, or even a tiny bug!
More Examples
The researchers studied the behavior of the marine organism.
The human body is a complex organism with many interconnected systems.
How It's Used
"The scientist studied the effects of the drug on the organism."
"The ecosystem is comprised of various organisms interacting with each other."
A system with interdependent and interrelated parts functioning together as a complex whole, often used metaphorically.
/ˈɔːrɡənɪzəm/
A system with interconnected parts
The economic system can be described as an organism with various interacting sectors.
💡 Simply: Imagine a complex system, like a company with different departments working together. It’s when several parts all depend on each other to work as one big, unified machine.
👶 For kids: When a bunch of different things work together to make one big thing happen, like a team!
More Examples
The body politic is a complex organism.
How It's Used
"Society can be viewed as a social organism with interconnected parts."
"The state as an organism can be seen as a complex entity."
From Late Latin *organismus*, from Greek *organon* (tool, instrument, organ). The concept evolved to describe organized life.
The term 'organism' began to gain traction in scientific literature during the 18th century, aligning with the rise of biological studies and natural sciences. It became a fundamental concept of biology by the 19th century.
Memory tip
Think of an organization, but for living things – an organism is a self-contained living system.
Word Origin
"tool, instrument, organ"