ORGAN

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does organ mean? 

• ORGAN (noun)
  The noun ORGAN has 6 senses:

1. a fully differentiated structural and functional unit in an animal that is specialized for some particular function

2. a government agency or instrument devoted to the performance of some specific function

3. (music) an electronic simulation of a pipe organ

4. a periodical that is published by a special interest group

5. wind instrument whose sound is produced by means of pipes arranged in sets supplied with air from a bellows and controlled from a large complex musical keyboard

6. a free-reeded instrument with a piano keyboard in which air is forced through the reeds by bellows

  Familiarity information: ORGAN used as a noun is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ORGAN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A fully differentiated structural and functional unit in an animal that is specialized for some particular function

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("organ" is a kind of...):

body part (any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity)

Meronyms (parts of "organ"):

lobe ((anatomy) a somewhat rounded subdivision of a bodily organ or part)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "organ"):

siphon; syphon (a tubular organ in an aquatic animal (especially in mollusks) through which water can be taken in or expelled)

erectile organ (an organ containing erectile tissue)

taret organ ((endocrinology) organ most affected by a particular hormone)

target organ ((radiology) organ intended to receive the therapeutic dose of a radioactive substance)

reproductive organ; sex organ (any organ involved in sexual reproduction)

end organ (a specialized structure at the peripheral end of some motor or sensory nerve fibers)

cell organ; cell organelle; organelle (a specialized part of a cell; analogous to an organ)

gland; secreter; secretor; secretory organ (any of various organs that synthesize substances needed by the body and release it through ducts or directly into the bloodstream)

crystalline lens; lens; lens of the eye (biconvex transparent body situated behind the iris in the eye; its role (along with the cornea) is to focus light on the retina)

organ of speech; speech organ; vocal organ (any of the organs involved in speech production)

clapper; glossa; lingua; tongue (a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity)

receptor; sense organ; sensory receptor (an organ having nerve endings (in the skin or viscera or eye or ear or nose or mouth) that respond to stimulation)

internal organ; viscus (a main organ that is situated inside the body)

external organ (an organ that is situated on or near the surface of the body)

effector (an organ (a gland or muscle) that becomes active in response to nerve impulses)

vital organ; vitals (a bodily organ that is essential for life)

anlage; primordium (an organ in its earliest stage of development; the foundation for subsequent development)

contractile organ; contractor (a bodily organ that contracts)

stinger (a sharp organ of offense or defense (as of a wasp or stingray or scorpion) often connected with a poison gland)

sucker (an organ specialized for sucking nourishment or for adhering to objects by suction)

foot; invertebrate foot (any of various organs of locomotion or attachment in invertebrates)

wing (a movable organ for flying (one of a pair))

comb-plate; ctene (a locomotor organ consisting of a row of strong cilia whose bases are fused)

ovipositor (egg-laying tubular structure at the end of the abdomen in many female insects and some fishes)

Derivation:

organic (involving or affecting physiology or bodily organs)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A government agency or instrument devoted to the performance of some specific function

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

The Census Bureau is an organ of the Commerce Department

Hypernyms ("organ" is a kind of...):

agency; authority; bureau; federal agency; government agency; office (an administrative unit of government)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(music) an electronic simulation of a pipe organ

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

electric organ; electronic organ; Hammond organ; organ

Hypernyms ("organ" is a kind of...):

electronic instrument; electronic musical instrument (a musical instrument that generates sounds electronically)

Domain category:

music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)

Derivation:

organist (a person who plays an organ)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A periodical that is published by a special interest group

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

the organ of the communist party

Hypernyms ("organ" is a kind of...):

periodical (a publication that appears at fixed intervals)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "organ"):

house organ (a periodical published by a business firm for its employees and customers)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Wind instrument whose sound is produced by means of pipes arranged in sets supplied with air from a bellows and controlled from a large complex musical keyboard

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

organ; pipe organ

Hypernyms ("organ" is a kind of...):

keyboard instrument (a musical instrument that is played by means of a keyboard)

wind; wind instrument (a musical instrument in which the sound is produced by an enclosed column of air that is moved by bellows or the human breath)

Meronyms (parts of "organ"):

keyboard (device consisting of a set of keys on a piano or organ or typewriter or typesetting machine or computer or the like)

organ pipe; pipe; pipework (the flues and stops on a pipe organ)

foot lever; foot pedal; pedal; treadle (a lever that is operated with the foot)

clavier; fingerboard; piano keyboard (a bank of keys on a musical instrument)

stop ((music) a knob on an organ that is pulled to change the sound quality from the organ pipes)

Derivation:

organist (a person who plays an organ)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A free-reeded instrument with a piano keyboard in which air is forced through the reeds by bellows

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

harmonium; organ; reed organ

Hypernyms ("organ" is a kind of...):

instrument (a device that requires skill for proper use)

Derivation:

organist (a person who plays an organ)

 Context examples 

The tissues that surround the organs that are present within the abdominal cavity.

(Abdominal Wall, NCI Thesaurus)

A procedure used to examine the organs in the abdomen.

(Abdominal ultrasound, NCI Dictionary)

An x-ray of the organs inside the abdomen.

(Abdominal Radiography, NCI Dictionary)

The spread or migration of cancer cells from one part of the body (the organ in which it first appeared) to another.

(Metastasis, NCI Thesaurus)

A syndrome characterized by enlargement of the hands, feet, ears, nose, lips, and tongue, skin thickening and swelling of internal organs.

(Acromegaly, NCI Thesaurus)

Rejection of a transplanted organ that usually occurs after the first week of the transplantation.

(Acute Rejection, NCI Thesaurus)

Metastasis Induction involves initiation of the spread or migration of cancer cells from one part of the body (the organ in which it first appeared) to another.

(Metastasis Induction, NCI Thesaurus)

It can also harm other organs.

(Meningitis, NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

For these reasons, the brain remains a “mysterious organ.”

(Neuromorphic Metallic Nanowire Network Shows Human Brain-Like Functions, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

It has long been known that the human liver is one of the organs that can regenerate its own tissue after short-term injury.

(Regeneration mechanism discovered in mice could provide target for drugs to combat chronic liver disease, University of Cambridge)