English · Word Candidate

organism

/ˈɔː.ɡə.nɪ.zəm/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: organisms

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A discrete and complete living thing, such as animal, plant, fungus or microorganism.

Noun

Examples

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.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Something with many separate interdependent parts, seen as being like a living thing; an organic system.

Noun

Examples

For the first time, Edith was aware of the hotel as a well populated organism, its attendants merely resting until an appropriate occasion should summon them to present themselves […].

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “organism” mean?

A discrete and complete living thing, such as animal, plant, fungus or microorganism.

Is “organism” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.