ENGLISH
REFERENCE

organ

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈɔɹɡən// UK //ˈɔːɡən// or·gan Archaic General-service Slang

n. a part of your body that does a specific job, like your heart or your lungs. It can also mean a large musical instrument with pipes and a keyboard.

n. a differentiated part of an organism, such as the heart or liver, that performs a specific function. Also refers to a large keyboard instrument that produces sound by forcing air through pipes.


SIMPLE

The heart is the most important organ in the human body.

CONTEXTUAL

Doctors are working to improve the way they transport a donated organ to a patient in need.

COMPLEX

The cathedral's massive pipe organ filled the entire stone hall with a deep, resonant sound that seemed to vibrate through the floorboards.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English organe, from Old French organe, from Latin organum, from Ancient Greek ὄργανον (órganon, “an instrument, implement, tool, also an organ of sense or apprehension, an organ of the body, also a musical instrument, an organ”), from Proto-Indo-European *werǵ-. Doublet of organon, organum, and orgue.

Usage

Commonly used in medical contexts regarding health and donation, or in musical contexts regarding church architecture.

Idioms1 entry

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