# organ

/ˈɔɹɡən/ (US) · /ˈɔːɡən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/organ
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. body part

noun · CEFR B1

a part of your body that has a specific job, like your heart, lungs, or brain.

For teachers: a distinct part of an organism that performs a specific vital function, such as the heart or liver.

- The heart is the organ responsible for pumping blood around your body.
- The surgeon explained that the patient required an urgent transplant because the vital organ was no longer functioning correctly.

### 2. musical instrument

noun · CEFR B1

a large musical instrument with a keyboard and many pipes that make sound using air.

For teachers: a large musical instrument consisting of pipes supplied with air from a bellows and played from a keyboard.

- The music from the church organ filled the entire building.
- The cathedral's pipe organ is famous for its intricate woodwork and the powerful, resonant bass notes it produces during recitals.

### 3. official publication

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a magazine or newspaper that gives the official news and opinions of a group or party.

For teachers: a periodical or publication that serves as the official voice of a specific organization or political party.

- The journal serves as the official organ of the medical association.
- For decades, the newspaper functioned as the primary organ of the ruling party, disseminating official policy to the public.

### 4. government body

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Academic

a department or part of a government that does a specific job.

For teachers: an administrative or judicial subdivision of a government or international organization.

- The United Nations has several different organs to handle world issues.
- The treaty established a new judicial organ to resolve trade disputes between the member states without resorting to sanctions.

### 5. penis

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang · Formal

a word sometimes used for the male sex organ.

For teachers: a reference to the penis, often used in medical or euphemistic contexts.

- The doctor used formal language to describe the male reproductive organ.
- In the Victorian era, writers often used the term 'organ' as a polite euphemism to avoid more direct anatomical language.

## Examples

- The heart is the most important organ in the human body.
- Doctors are working to improve the way they transport a donated organ to a patient in need.
- The cathedral's massive pipe organ filled the entire stone hall with a deep, resonant sound that seemed to vibrate through the floorboards.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.