organ Hear it!

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organ definition

or·gan (ôr′gən)

noun

    1. a large wind instrument consisting of various sets of pipes which, as they are opened by corresponding keys on one or more keyboards, allow passage to a column of compressed air that causes sound by vibration
    2. any of several musical instruments producing similar or somewhat similar sounds
    3. Archaic any musical instrument; esp., a wind instrument
  2. in animals and plants, a part composed of specialized tissues and adapted to the performance of a specific function or functions
  3. a means or instrument for the performance of some action an organ of local government
  4. a means of communicating ideas or opinions, as a periodical

Etymology: ME organe < OE organa & OFr organe, both < L organum, tool, implement (in LL(Ec), a church organ) < Gr organon, an implement, engine < ergon, work

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

medical organ definition - medical

organ Synonyms

organ

n.

  1. An instrument

    medium, means, way; see device 1, tool 1.

  2. A part of an organism having a specialized use

    vital part, vital structure, functional division, process; see gland.

    Human organs include: brain, heart, eye, ear, nose, tongue, lung, kidney, stomach, intestine, spleen, pancreas, gallbladder, liver, testis, uterus, ovary, fallopian tube, bladder, penis.

  3. A musical instrument

    wind instrument, keyboard instrument, harmonium, melodeon, calliope, hurdy-gurdy, accordion; see also musical instrument.

    Types of organs include: great, swell, choir, orchestral, solo, pipe, echo, pedal, altar, chancel, antiphonal, gallery, floating, barrel, reed, electric, electronic, hand, grind, street.

  4. A periodical

    journal, newsletter, newspaper, publication, rag*; see also journal 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

organ Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • donate: Or should they be expected to donate organs out of charity?

Preposition: for

  • transplantation: The report examines the ethical issues surrounding the use of animal organs for transplantation into humans.

Adjective modifier

  • reproductive: The male and female reproductive organs can also be affected.

Modifies a noun

  • transplant: Hundreds of people's lives are saved every year by organ transplants.

Noun used with modifier

  • hammond: Their sound is given an extra twist by having a hammond organ in the set up.
organ usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

organ quotes

Ring out, ye crystal spheres, Once bless our human ears (If ye have power to touch our senses so), And let your silver chime Move in melodious time, And let the bass of Heaven's deep organ blow; And with your ninefold harmony Make up full consort to th'angelic symphony.

-Milton,John

Seated one day at the organ, I was weary and ill at ease, And my fingers wandered idly Over the noisy keys; I know not what I was playing, Or what I was dreaming then, But I struck one chord of music, Like the sound of a great Amen.

-Proctor, Adelaide Ann pseudonym of  Mary Berwick

organ quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"organ." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/organ>

APA Style

organ. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/organ

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