catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Organic \Or*gan"ic\, a. [L. organicus, Gr. ?: cf. F. organique.]
     1. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to an organ or its functions, or
        to objects composed of organs; consisting of organs, or
        containing them; as, the organic structure of animals and
        plants; exhibiting characters peculiar to living
        organisms; as, organic bodies, organic life, organic
        remains. Cf. Inorganic.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Produced by the organs; as, organic pleasure. [R.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to
        a certain destined function or end. [R.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Those organic arts which enable men to discourse and
              write perspicuously.                  --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. Forming a whole composed of organs. Hence: Of or
        pertaining to a system of organs; inherent in, or
        resulting from, a certain organization; as, an organic
        government; his love of truth was not inculcated, but
        organic.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to compounds which are
        derivatives of hydrocarbons; pertaining to, or denoting,
        any one of a large series of carbon-containing compounds
        which are related to the carbon compounds produced by
        biological processes (such as methane, oils, fats, sugars,
        alcohols, ethers, proteins, etc.) and include many
        substances of artificial production which may or may not
        occur in animals or plants; -- contrasted with
        inorganic.
  
     Note: Borderline cases exist which may be classified as
           either organic or inorganic, such as carbon
           terachloride (which may be viewed as a derivative of
           methane), but in general a compound must have a carbon
           with a hydrogen atom or another carbon atom attached to
           it to be viewed as truly organic, i.e. included in the
           subject matter of organic chemistry.
           [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     Note: The principles of organic and inorganic chemistry are
           identical; but the enormous number and the completeness
           of related series of organic compounds, together with
           their remarkable facility of exchange and substitution,
           offer an illustration of chemical reaction and homology
           not to be paralleled in inorganic chemistry.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Organic analysis (Chem.), the analysis of organic
        compounds, concerned chiefly with the determination of
        carbon as carbon dioxide, hydrogen as water, oxygen as the
        difference between the sum of the others and 100 per cent,
        and nitrogen as free nitrogen, ammonia, or nitric oxide;
        -- formerly called ultimate analysis, in distinction from
        proximate analysis.
  
     Organic chemistry. See under Chemistry.
  
     Organic compounds. (Chem.) Chemical substances which are
        organic[5]. See Carbon compounds, under Carbon.
  
     Organic description of a curve (Geom.), the description of
        a curve on a plane by means of instruments. --Brande & C.
  
     Organic disease (Med.), a disease attended with morbid
        changes in the structure of the organs of the body or in
        the composition of its fluids; -- opposed to functional
        disease.
  
     Organic electricity. See under Electricity.
  
     Organic law or Organic laws, a law or system of laws, or
        declaration of principles fundamental to the existence and
        organization of a political or other association; a
        constitution.
  
     Organic stricture (Med.), a contraction of one of the
        natural passages of the body produced by structural
        changes in its walls, as distinguished from a spasmodic
        stricture, which is due to muscular contraction.
        [1913 Webster]

  Organic \Or*gan"ic\, a. [L. organicus, Gr. ?: cf. F. organique.]
     1. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to an organ or its functions, or
        to objects composed of organs; consisting of organs, or
        containing them; as, the organic structure of animals and
        plants; exhibiting characters peculiar to living
        organisms; as, organic bodies, organic life, organic
        remains. Cf. Inorganic.
  
     2. Produced by the organs; as, organic pleasure. [R.]
  
     3. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to
        a certain destined function or end. [R.]
  
              Those organic arts which enable men to discourse and
              write perspicuously.                  --Milton.
  
     4. Forming a whole composed of organs. Hence: Of or
        pertaining to a system of organs; inherent in, or
        resulting from, a certain organization; as, an organic
        government; his love of truth was not inculcated, but
        organic.
  
     5. Pertaining to, or denoting, any one of the large series of
        substances which, in nature or origin, are connected with
        vital processes, and include many substances of artificial
        production which may or may not occur in animals or
        plants; -- contrasted with inorganic.
  
     Note: The principles of organic and inorganic chemistry are
           identical; but the enormous number and the completeness
           of related series of organic compounds, together with
           their remarkable facility of exchange and substitution,
           offer an illustration of chemical reaction and homology
           not to be paralleled in inorganic chemistry.
  
     Organic analysis (Chem.), the analysis of organic
        compounds, concerned chiefly with the determination of
        carbon as carbon dioxide, hydrogen as water, oxygen as the
        difference between the sum of the others and 100 per cent,
        and nitrogen as free nitrogen, ammonia, or nitric oxide;
        -- formerly called ultimate analysis, in distinction from
        proximate analysis.
  
     Organic chemistry. See under Chemistry.
  
     Organic compounds. (Chem.) See Carbon compounds, under
        Carbon.
  
     Organic description of a curve (Geom.), the description of
        a curve on a plane by means of instruments. --Brande & C.
  
     Organic disease (Med.), a disease attended with morbid
        changes in the structure of the organs of the body or in
        the composition of its fluids; -- opposed to functional
        disease.
  
     Organic electricity. See under Electricity.
  
     Organic law or laws, a law or system of laws, or
        declaration of principles fundamental to the existence and
        organization of a political or other association; a
        constitution.
  
     Organic stricture (Med.), a contraction of one of the
        natural passages of the body produced by structural
        changes in its walls, as distinguished from a spasmodic
        stricture, which is due to muscular contraction.

  organic disease /ɔːɡˈanɪk dɪzˈiːz/
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