Adjective

organic (comparative more organic, superlative most organic)

Positive organic

Comparative more organic

Superlative most organic

1. (biology) pertaining to, derived from, like, of the nature of, an organ of the body
2. (chemistry) relating to the compounds of carbon, relating to natural products
3. of food or food products, grown in an environment free from artificial agro-chemicals, and possibly certified by a regulatory body.
4. (sociology) a form of social solidarity theorized by Emile Durkheim that is characterized by voluntary engagements in complex interdepencies for mutual benefit (such as business agreements), rather than mechanical solidarity, which depends on ascribed relations between people (as in a family or tribe).
5. (military) Of a military unit or formation, or its elements, belonging to a permanent organization (in contrast to being temporarily attached).
   • 1998: Eyal Ben-Ari, Mastering Soldiers: Conflict, Emotions, and the Enemy in an Israeli Military Unit. Beghahn Books, p 29.

     Socially, the term “organic” unit implies a military force characterized by relatively high cohesion, overlapping primary groups and a certain sense of shared past.

   • 1945: U.S. War Department, Handbook on German Military Forces. LSU Press (1990). p 161.

     Most types of German field divisions include an organic reconnaissance battalion, and the remainder have strong reconnaissance companies.

Antonyms

• (#2) inorganic

Derived terms

• organic chemistry
• organic food
• organic agriculture
• organic forestry

Organic may refer to:

• Organism, a living entity.
• Organ (anatomy), of or relating to a bodily organ.

Life:

• Organic life

Materials and substances:

• Organic material

See also Biological material (disambiguation)

Chemistry:

• Organic chemistry, chemistry involving organic compounds.
• Organic compound, a compound that contains carbon (although some carbon-containing compounds are excluded).

Farming, certification and products:

• Organic food, food that is produced according to certain standards and is certified organic
• Organic clothing, clothing that is made from organic fibers, such as organic cotton.
• Organic agriculture, agriculture using only naturally produced fertilizers and non-chemical pest control
• Organic certification, accreditation process for producers of organic food and other organic agricultural products
• Organic movement, organizations and individuals involved in the promotion of sustainable agriculture and organic farming
• Organic baby products, those which can be certified organic for babies and toddlers

Computing:

• Wetware computer (or organic computer), a computer built from living neurons and ganglions
• Organic computing, computing systems with properties of self-configuration, self-optimization, self-healing, and/or self-protection
• Organic search, search results through unpaid search engine listings, rather than through paid advertisements
• Organic search engine, search engine which uses a combination of human operators and computer algorithms
• Organic semiconductor, an organic compound that exhibits similar properties to inorganic semiconductors

Economics and Business:

• Organic growth, business expansion through increasing output and sales as opposed to mergers, acquisitions and take-overs
• Organic organization, one which is flexible and has a flat structure

Military:

• Organic (military), a military unit predominantly of one type (armour, infantry, artillery, etc.) may incorporate subunits of a different type, to improve combined arms capability e.g. organic artillery, organic armour

Law:

• Organic law, a fundamental law
• Organic statute
• Organic Articles, a French law presented in 1802

Other:

• Organic (model), forms, methods and patterns found in living systems, often used as a metaphor for non-living things.
• Organicism, the biological doctrine which stresses the organization, rather than the composition, of organisms
• Organic disease, involving or affecting physiology or bodily organs.
• Biological process, or organic process
• Organic Realism, also known as Philosophy of Organism