organism
/ˈɔː.ɡə.nɪ.zəm/ IELTSAcademic
noun
An organism is a living thing, such as a plant, animal, or microbe. It grows, needs energy, and can respond to its environment.
- The pond is full of tiny organisms.
- Humans are organisms too.
- A virus is not always treated as a living organism.
Adinary Nuance
An organism is a living thing, so it is more scientific than creature or being. It is often used in biology, medicine, and academic writing. Use organism when you want a broad, neutral term for life, including tiny microbes.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- sinh vật
- Spanish
- organismo
- Chinese
- 生物
- Japanese
- 生物
- Korean
- 유기체
Etymology
Organism comes from Greek organon, meaning “tool” or “organ.” It entered English in the early 1700s, first in science and biology.
Common phrases
living organismsingle-celled organismorganism growthorganism structure
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is organism a formal word?
- Yes. It is more common in science and school writing than in everyday speech.
- What is the difference between organism and creature?
- Organism is scientific and neutral. Creature is more general and often sounds less technical.
- Can microorganism mean the same as organism?
- Not exactly. A microorganism is a very small organism, usually seen only under a microscope.
- How do I use organism in a sentence?
- You can say: “This organism survives in hot water.”